Biocontrol potential of newly isolated Streptomyces noursei D337-11 from disease suppressive soil and its metabolites against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense in banana plants

Authors: ZHOU, DENGBO - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; HE, XINXIN - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; CHEN, YUFENG - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; LI, CHUNTING - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; WANG, WEI - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; Pan, Zhiqiang; ZHAO, YANKUN - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; WEI, YONGZAN - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; FENG, JUNTING - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; ZHANG, MIAOYI - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; QI, DENGFENG - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; LI, XIAOJUAN - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; LI, KAI - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; JING, TAO - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences; XIE, JIANGHUI - Chinese Academy Of Tropical Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Frontiers in Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2025
Publication Date: 8/26/2025
Citation: Zhou, D., He, X., Chen, Y., Li, C., Wang, W., Pan, Z., Zhao, Y., Wei, Y., Feng, J., Zhang, M., Qi, D., Li, X., Li, K., Jing, T., Xie, J. 2025. Biocontrol potential of newly isolated Streptomyces noursei D337-11 from disease suppressive soil and its metabolites against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense in banana plants. Frontiers in Microbiology. 16:1655103. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1655103.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1655103

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (Foc TR4), poses a significant threat to the sustainability of the banana industry. Currently, there are no commercially available chemicals that effectively combat this disease. However, research has shown that fermentation extracts from antagonistic microorganisms can provide a promising alternative for discovering potent antifungal agents. In this study, a novel strain, designated D337-11, identified as Streptomyces noursei, was isolated. This strain demonstrated antifungal activity against Foc TR4. In pot experiments, applying extracts from strain D337-11 not only effectively managed the disease, achieving a control efficiency of 65.35%, but also promoted the growth of the banana plants. Investigation using LC-ESIMS/MS metabolite analysis identified five compounds that may contribute to the antifungal effects, including naringenin, 10-hydroxydecanoic acid, methyleugenol, lincomycin B, and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The genomic sequencing of S. noursei D337-11 revealed gene clusters linked to the synthesis of active secondary metabolites, with a specific region (52.1) demonstrating 100% similarity to the gene cluster responsible for naringenin synthesis. Finally, naringenin was isolated from the extracts, and its mechanisms against Foc TR4 were elucidated. The identification of S. noursei D337-11 and its bioactive metabolite naringenin highlights their potential as effective agents in the management of Fusarium wilt in banana crops.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (Foc TR4), is a destructive soil-borne fungal disease that threatens the sustainability of the banana industry. Currently, there are no effective commercial chemicals available to control this disease. However, fermentation extracts of antagonistic microorganisms offer a promising opportunity for discovering highly effective antifungal agents. In this study, we isolated a novel strain, D337-11, identified as Streptomyces noursei, which exhibited significant antifungal activity against Foc TR4. In pot experiments, the application of the extracts from strain D337-11 not only effectively controlled the disease, achieving a control efficiency of 65.35%, but also promoted plant growth. Metabolite analysis using LC-ESIMS/MS identified five compounds responsible for the antifungal activities: naringenin, 10-hydroxydecanoic acid, methyleugenol, lincomycin B and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The genome sequence of S. noursei D337-11 revealed gene clusters associated with the biosynthesis of active secondary metabolites, with region 52.1 showing 100% similarity to the gene cluster for naringenin. Finally, we isolated naringenin from the extracts and elucidated its mechanisms against Foc TR4. The identification of S. noursei D337-11 and its metabolite naringenin underscores their potential as effective agents in managing this fungal disease.