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Inhibitory activity of aqueous extracts from Anabaena minutissima, Ecklonia maxima and Jania adhaerens on the cucumber powdery mildew pathogen in vitro and in vivo

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Abstract

Aqueous extracts from Anabaena minutissima BEA 0300B (ANA), Ecklonia maxima (ECK) and Jania adhaerens (JAN) were evaluated for their antifungal effect against powdery mildew disease caused by Podosphaera xanthii on cucumber detached cotyledons and seedlings. All the extracts were sprayed on detached cotyledons at 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg dry biomass mL−1 water and those of ANA and JAN at 5.0 and 10.0 mg mL−1 on seedlings before pathogen challenge (106 spores mL−1). ANA and JAN at 5.0 and 10.0 mg mL−1 reduced infected area and fungal sporulation on both detached cotyledons and seedlings. ANA and JAN at 5.0 and 10.0 mg mL−1 were also evaluated for their elicitation of seedling defence responses, 1, 2 and 3 days before P. xanthii inoculation. Treatments reduced disease symptoms depending on extract, concentration and application time. Both extracts differentially induced the expression of PR genes, which may have concurred to pathogen control. At all times, ANA mainly induced AePR3 and PR1 genes, at 5.0 and 10.0 mg mL−1, respectively, while JAN mainly induced AePR3 and PR4 at 5.0 mg mL−1. This suggests that both ANA and JAN activated the expression of genes within the jasmonic acid and salicylic acid pathway. Proteins, phycobiliproteins, chlorophylls, carotenoids and antioxidant activities determined in the extracts could be involved in the antifungal effect or induction of plant systemic resistance. These results demonstrate that aqueous extracts from algae and cyanobacteria may be considered for further studies as a bio-based strategy for sustainable disease management.

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Funding

This study has been financed from the funds of the University of Bologna (RFO 2018) and of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme PCT-MAC 2014-2020 through project REBECA (MAC/1.1a/060).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin, 40, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Hillary Righini, Annalisa Somma & Roberta Roberti

  2. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio, 48, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Silvia Cetrullo, Stefania D’Adamo & Flavio Flamigni

  3. Banco Español de Algas, Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde, 35214, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain

    Antera Martel Quintana

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  1. Hillary Righini
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Contributions

Concept and design of the study: HR and RR. Acquisition of data: HR, AS, RR, SC, and SD. Providing and characterization of the cyanobacterium and the algae: AMQ. Interpretation and analysis of the data: HR, RR, FF, and SC. Drafting of the article: HR, RR, and FF. Critical revision and important intellectual content: RR, HR, FF, SC, and SD. Final approval of the article: all authors.

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Righini, H., Somma, A., Cetrullo, S. et al. Inhibitory activity of aqueous extracts from Anabaena minutissima, Ecklonia maxima and Jania adhaerens on the cucumber powdery mildew pathogen in vitro and in vivo. J Appl Phycol 32, 3363–3375 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-020-02160-x

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