Abstract
This research demonstrates the role of antimicrobial volatiles produced by Muscodor albus in disease control in soil and potting mix. The volatiles controlled damping-off of broccoli seedlings when pots containing soil or soilless potting mix infested with Rhizoctonia solani were placed in the presence of active M. albus culture without physical contact in closed containers. Conversely, plugs of R. solani on potato dextrose agar were inhibited when they were placed in the presence of M. albus incorporated into garden soil or soilless potting mix. Gas chromatographic analysis with solid-phase micro extraction showed that isobutyric acid and 2-methyl-1-butanol were released from the treated substrates. There was a significant relationship between the production of isobutyric acid in soil and damping-off control (P = 0.0415). Production of isobutyric acid was short-lived in treated substrates, peaking at 24 h in potting mix and 48 h in soil. Amounts of isobutyric acid released from soil were several times higher than those released from potting mix. Also, higher rates of M. albus rye grain culture were required to control damping-off in potting mix than in soil. This suggests that the soil used in this study is a better environment than soilless potting mix for the biological activity or viability of M. albus and components from the potting mix might bind the volatiles. The release of volatiles from soil during the biofumigation process suggests that containment measures such as tarping could be used to improve the control of soil-borne diseases and reduce use rate of the biocontrol agent.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Camp AR, Dillard HR, Smart CD (2008) Efficacy of Muscodor albus for the control of Phytophthora blight of sweet pepper and butternut squash. Plant Dis 92:1488–1492
Ezra D, Strobel GA (2003) Effect of substrate on the bioactivity of volatile antimicrobials produced by Muscodor albus. Plant Science 165:1229–1238
Ezra D, Hess WM, Strobel GA (2004) New endophytic isolates of Muscodor albus, a volatile-antibiotic-producing fungus. Microbiology 150:4023–4031
Goates BJ, Mercier J (2009) Effect of biofumigation with volatiles from Muscodor albus on the viability of Tilletia spp. teliospores. Can J Microbiol 55:203–206
Jiménez JI, Mercier J (2005) Optimization of volatile organic compound production from rye grain culture of Muscodor albus for postharvest fumigation. Phytopathology 95:S48 (Abst.)
Kim J-H, Gan J, Farmer WJ, Yates SR, Papiernik SK, Dungan RS (2003) Organic matter effects on phase partition of 1, 3-dichloropropene in soil. J Agric Food Chem 51:165–169
Lacey LA, Neven LG (2006) The potential of the fungus, Muscodor albus, as a microbial control agent of potato tuber moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in stored potatoes. J Inver Pathol 91:195–198
Mercier J, Jiménez JI (2004) Control of fungal decay of apples and peaches by the biofumigant fungus Muscodor albus. Postharvest Biol Technol 31:1–8
Mercier J, Jiménez JI (2007) Potential of the volatile-producing fungus Muscodor albus for control of building molds. Can J Microbiol 53:404–410
Mercier J, Manker DC (2005) Biocontrol of soil-borne diseases and plant growth enhancement in greenhouse soilless mix by the volatile-producing fungus Muscodor albus. Crop Prot 24:355–362
Mercier J, Smilanick JL (2005) Control of green mold and sour rot of stored lemon by biofumigation with Muscodor albus. Biol Contr 32:401–407
Mercier J, Jiménez-Santamaría JI, Tamez-Guerra P (2007) Development of the volatile-producing fungus Muscodor albus Worapong, Strobel, and Hess as a novel antimicrobial biofumigant. Revista Mexicana de Fitopatología 25:173–179
Mlikota Gabler F, Fassel R, Mercier J, Smilanick JL (2006) Influence of temperature, inoculation interval, and dosage on biofumigation with Muscodor albus to control postharvest gray mold on grapes. Plant Dis 90:1019–1025
Riga E, Lacey LA, Guerra N (2008) Muscodor albus, a potential biocontrol agent against plant-parasitic nematodes of economically important vegetable crops in Washington State, USA. Biol Contr 45:380–385
Schnabel G, Mercier J (2006) Use of a Muscodor albus pad delivery system for the management of brown rot of peach in shipping cartons. Postharvest Biol Tech 42:121–123
Stinson AM, Zidak NK, Strobel GA, Jacobsen BJ (2003) Mycofumigation with Muscodor albus and Muscodor roseus for control of seedling diseases of sugar beet and Verticillium wilt of eggplant. Plant Dis 87:1349–1354
Strobel G (2006) Muscodor albus and its biological promise. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 33:514–522
Strobel GA, Dirkse E, Sears J, Markworth C (2001) Volatile antimicrobials from Muscodor albus, a novel endophytic fungus. Microbiology 147:2943–2950
Strobel GA, Kluck K, Hess WM, Sears J, Ezra D, Vargas PN (2007) Muscodor albus E-6, an endophyte of Gauzuma ulmifolia, making volatile antibiotics: isolation, characterization and experimental establishment in the host plant. Microbiology 153:2613–2620
Worapong J, Strobel GA (2009) Biocontrol of root rot of kale by Muscodor albus strain MFC2. BioControl 54:301–306
Worapong J, Strobel G, Ford EJ, Li JY, Baird G, Hess WM (2001) Muscodor albus anam. sp. nov., an endophyte from Cinnamomum zeylanicum. Mycotaxon 79:67–79
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Handling Editor: Monica Hofte.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mercier, J., Jiménez, J.I. Demonstration of the biofumigation activity of Muscodor albus against Rhizoctonia solani in soil and potting mix. BioControl 54, 797–805 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9223-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9223-z