Fungicide Imazalil Research Articles

Biocontrol agents against Penicillium digitatum in 'pera' orange

This work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of biocontrol agents in controlling green mold (Penicillium digitatum) in 'pera' orange fruits. In vitro experiments were carried out with a fungus isolate grown on BDA medium and tested against different concentrations of commercial products based on biocontrol agents: Trichoderma harzianum (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mL L -1 ), Bacillus subtilis (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mL L -1 ) and B. licheniformis + B. subtilis + T. longibrachiatum (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g L -1 ) and the fungicide imazalil as standard (2 mL L -1 ). The experiment analyzed mycelial growth and spore germination. Based on the results, in vivo tests were carried out, evaluating the curative and preventive effect of applying biocontrol agents as inoculating with 10 µL of conidial suspension (108 conidia mL-1). All biochemical agents displayed 100% control over mycelial growth and a linear effect to inhibit the germination of P. digitatum. The in vivo tests highlighted that all agents showed a linear effect, both in the curative and preventive effects, significantly reducing the development of green mold (AUDPC) in 'pera' orange fruits. The experiment concludes that the prophylactic application of 25 mL L -1 of T. harzianum, 10 mL L -1 of B. subtilis, and 25 g L -1 of B. licheniformis + B. subtilis + T. longibrachiatum in orange fruits 'pera' control P. digitatum.

Deciphering the degradation characteristics of the fungicides imazalil and penflufen and their effects on soil bacterial community composition, assembly, and functional profiles

The adsorption-desorption and degradation characteristics of two widely applied fungicides, imazalil and penflufen, and the responses of soil bacterial diversity, structure, function, and interaction after long-term exposure were systemically studied in eight different soils. The adsorption ability of imazalil in soil was significantly higher than that of penflufen. Both imazalil and penflufen degraded slowly in most soils following the order: imazalil > penflufen, with soil pH, silt, and clay content being the potential major influencing factors. Both imazalil and penflufen obviously inhibited the soil microbial functional diversity, altered the soil bacterial community and decreased its diversity. Although exposure to low and high concentrations of imazalil and penflufen strengthened the interactions among the soil bacterial communities, the functional diversity of the co-occurrence network tended to be simple at high concentrations, especially in penflufen treatment. Both imazalil and penflufen markedly disturbed soil nitrogen cycling, especially penflufen seriously inhibited most nitrogen cycling processes, such as nitrogen fixation and nitrification. Meanwhile, sixteen and ten potential degradative bacteria of imazalil and penflufen, respectively, were found in soils, including Kaistobacter and Lysobacter. Collectively, the long-term application of imazalil and penflufen could cause residual accumulation in soils and subsequently result in serious negative effects on soil ecology.

Earthworms synergize with indigenous soil functional microorganisms to accelerate the preferential degradation of the highly toxic S-enantiomer of the fungicide imazalil in soil

The roles of soil and earthworm gut microorganisms in the degradation of the chiral fungicide imazalil (IMA) enantiomers were systemically studied in soil-earthworm systems. S-IMA degraded slower than R-IMA in soil without earthworms. After the addition of earthworms, S-IMA degraded faster than R-IMA. Methylibium was the potential degradative bacterium likely related to the preferential degradation of R-IMA in soil. However, the addition of earthworms significantly decreased the relative abundance of Methylibium, especially in R-IMA-treated soil. Meanwhile, a new potential degradative bacterium Aeromonas first appeared in soil-earthworm systems. Compared with enantiomer-treated soil, the relative abundance of indigenous soil bacterium Kaistobacter significantly boomed in enantiomer-treated soil with earthworms. Interestingly, Kaistobacter in the earthworm gut also obviously increased after exposure to enantiomers, particularly in S-IMA-treated soil, which was associated with the significant increase in Kaistobacter in soil. More importantly, the relative abundances of Aeromonas and Kaistobacter in S-IMA-treated soil were obviously higher than those in R-IMA-treated soil after the addition of earthworms. Moreover, these two potential degradative bacteria were also potential bacterial hosts of the biodegradation genes p450 and bph. Collectively, gut microorganisms are important helpers in soil pollution remediation by participating in the preferential degradation of S-IMA mediated by indigenous soil microorganisms.

Evaluation of imazalil dissipation/migration in postharvest papaya using low-temperature partition extraction and GC–MS analysis

Methods involving solid-liquid extraction with low-temperature partition and analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were validated to investigate the dissipation/migration of residues of the postharvest fungicide imazalil in papaya skin, pulp, and seeds. The fruits were stored for 23 days (14 °C). Every two days, fruits from the control group and those treated with imazalil had their skin, outer pulp, inner pulp, and seeds separated and then analyzed by GC–MS. After the 23rd day, about 70% of the imazalil had dissipated. Most of the remaining residue was found in the skin; however, the small amount migrating into the pulp was above the maximum residue levels allowed by the regulatory agencies. Imazalil residue was also detected in seeds at concentrations lower than the LOQ (0.025 mg kg−1). Mass loss was the only quality parameter that showed a significant difference between the fruits of the control and study groups.

Investigations with Drugs and Pesticides Revealed New Species- and Substrate-Dependent Inhibition by Elacridar and Imazalil in Human and Mouse Organic Cation Transporter OCT2.

Multiple drugs are used to treat various indications as well as pesticides that are ingested unintentionally and enter the bloodstream. The residence time or bioavailability of these substances in circulation depends on several mechanisms, such as drug-drug interaction (DDI), drug-pesticide interaction, metabolizing enzymes and the hepatic and renal transport systems, involved in the elimination of the compounds from the body. One of these transporters is the Organic Cation Transporter 2 (OCT2) member of the solute carrier (SLC22) transporter family. OCT2 is highly expressed in the proximal tubule epithelial cells in human and mouse kidney, where it mediates the uptake of endogenous organic cations as well as numerous drugs and xenobiotics, and contributes to the first step of renal clearance. In this study, we examined OCT2 on two subjects: First, the transferability of data from mouse to human, since mice are initially examined in the development of new drugs to assess the renal excretion of organic cations. Second, to what extent the choice of substrate affects the properties of an inhibitor. For this purpose, the functional properties of hOCT2 and mOct2 were validated under the same experimental conditions with the known substrates metformin and 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium iodide (MPP). While hOCT2 and mOct2 showed very low affinities for metformin with Km values of 3.9 mM and 3.5 mM, the affinity of hOCT2 and mOct2 for MPP (62 and 40 µM) was 64- and 89-fold higher, respectively. For our positive control inhibitor decynium22, we determined the following IC50 values for hOCT2 and mOct2: 2.2 and 2.6 µM for metformin uptake, and 16 and 6.9 µM for MPP uptake. A correlation analysis of the inhibitory effects of 13 drugs and 9 pesticides on hOCT2- and mOct2-mediated transport of metformin showed a correlation coefficient R2 of 0.88, indicating good interspecies correlation. Nevertheless, the bioenhancer elacridar and the fungicide imazalil showed species-dependent inhibitory potentials. Concentration-dependent inhibition of hOCT2- and mOct2-mediated metformin uptake by elacridar showed IC50 values of 20 µM and 1.9 µM and by imazalil 4.7 µM and 0.58 µM, respectively. In conclusion, although our data show comparable species-independent interactions for most compounds, there can be large species-specific differences in the interactions of individual compounds, which should be considered when extrapolating data from mice to humans. Furthermore, a comparison of the inhibitory potential of elacridar and imazalil on metformin uptake with that on MPP uptake reveals substrate-dependent differences in hOCT2 and mOct2 for both inhibitors. Therefore, it might be useful to test two different substrates in inhibition studies.

Innovative Approach for Controlling Black Rot of Persimmon Fruits by Means of Nanobiotechnology from Nanochitosan and Rosmarinic Acid-Mediated Selenium Nanoparticles.

The protection of persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.) from postharvest fungal infestation with Alternaria alternata (A. alternate; black rot) is a major agricultural and economic demand worldwide. Edible coatings (ECs) based on biopolymers and phytocompounds were proposed to maintain fruit quality, especially with nanomaterials’ applications. Chitosan nanoparticles (NCt), rosmarinic acid bio-mediated selenium nanoparticles (RA/SeNPs) and their composites were produced, characterized and evaluated as ECs for managing persimmon black rot. The constructed NCt, RA/SeNPs and NCt/RA/SeNPs composite had diminished particles’ size diameters. The ECs solution of 1% NCt and NCt/RA/SeNPs composite led to a significant reduction of A. alternata radial growth in vitro, with 77.4 and 97.2%, respectively. The most powerful ECs formula contained 10 mg/mL from NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, which significantly reduced fungal growth than imazalil fungicide. The coating of persimmon with nanoparticles-based ECs resulted in a significant reduction of black rot disease severity and incidence in artificially infected fruits; the treatment with 1% of NCt/RA/SeNPs could completely (100%) hinder disease incidence and severity in coated fruits, whereas imazalil reduced them by 88.6 and 73.4%, respectively. The firmness of fruits is greatly augmented after ECs treatments, particularly with formulated coatings with 1% NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, which maintain fruits firmness by 85.7%. The produced ECs in the current study, based on NCt/RA/SeNPs composite, are greatly recommended as innovatively constructed human-friendly matrix to suppress the postharvest destructive fungi (A. alternata) and maintain the shelf-life and quality of persimmon fruits.

Isolation, characterization and industrial application of a Cladosporium herbarum fungal strain able to degrade the fungicide imazalil

Imazalil (IMZ) is an imidazole fungicide commonly used by fruit-packaging plants (FPPs) to control fungal infections during storage. Its application leads to the production of pesticide-contaminated wastewaters, which, according to the European Commission, need to be treated on site. Considering the lack of efficient treatment methods, biodepuration systems inoculated with tailored-made inocula specialized on the removal of such persistent fungicides appear as an appropriate solution. However, nothing is known about the biodegradation of IMZ. We aimed to isolate and characterize microorganisms able to degrade the recalcitrant fungicide IMZ and eventually to test their removal efficiency under near practical bioengineering conditions. Enrichment cultures from a soil receiving regular discharges of effluents from a FPP, led to the isolation of a Cladosporium herbarum strain, which showed no pathogenicity on fruits, a trait essential for its biotechnological exploitation in FPPs. The fungus was able to degrade up to 100 mg L−1 of IMZ. However, its degrading capacity and growth was reduced at increasing IMZ concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the involvement of a detoxification rather than an energy-gain mechanism in the dissipation of IMZ. The isolate could tolerate and gradually degrade the fungicides fludioxonil (FLD) and thiabendazole (TBZ), also used in FPPs and expected to coincide alongside IMZ in FPP effluents. The capacity of the isolate to remove IMZ in a practical context was evaluated in a benchtop immobilized-cell bioreactor fed with artificial IMZ-contaminated wastewater (200 mg L−1). The fungal strain established in the reactor, completely dominated the fungal community and effectively removed >96% of IMZ. The bioreactor also supported a diverse bacterial community composed of Sphingomonadales, Burkholderiales and Pseudomonadales. Our study reports the isolation of the first IMZ-degrading microorganism with high efficiency to remove IMZ from agro-industrial effluents under bioengineering conditions.

DISTRIBUTION AND QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES FROM A SAMPLE OF RED GRAPEFRUIT, AFTER TREATMENT WITH FUNGICIDE SOLUTIONS

"The Most citrus fruits are compromised each year due to post-harvest fungal infections. To reduce fungal infections, packing centers use fungicide solution mixtures to prevent infections that occur during harvest and then during storage. The most common fungal pathogens of citrus are commonly treated with the fungicides imazalil, Pyrimethanil due to their effectiveness in controlling these pathogens at low cost and ease of handling. However, little is known about how it alters tissues in citrus physiology. In this study we will investigate the behavior and retention of imazalil and pyrimethanil in the tissues of the red grapefruit fruit (peel and core before washing and after washing with hot water and simple dish detergent). This work demonstrates a viable approach for assessing the quality of citrus fruits, and we can even proceed to thoroughly wash each fruit before consumption, as we remove a quantity of residue. This work demonstrates that the treatment affects the citrus tissues and the substances migrate throughout the pulp, although the treatment was applied to the peel. Washing, which is the first step in food processing on a domestic and industrial scale, helps to reduce pesticide residues on the fruit surface. In this study, the effectiveness of washing the peel was also investigated. Although many chemicals are applied to citrus to prevent certain diseases or control pests, there is little literature available on how these treatments alter the physiology of the fruit. Usually, the packaging only analyzes the level of treatments on the products."

Bioluminescence of Aliivibrio Fischeri in Artificial Seawater and Its Application in Fungicide Sensing.

It has been well investigated that the bioluminescence (BL) intensity of marine luminous bacteria is enhanced depending on cell density. In contrast, the correlation between seawater components and BL intensity is still a challenging subject to be addressed. In addition, the marine luminous bacteria rapidly lose the BL intensity when exposed to toxic substances, but unclear to fungicides. Herein, we introduce a new approach to investigate (i) the correlation between the components of artificial seawater (ASW) and BL intensity and (ii) the corresponding protocol to determine the susceptibility of marine luminous bacteria to fungicide using A. fischeri. The examples show that (i) ionic ingredients (K+, HCO3-, and SO42-) activate the BL cell density independently and (ii) A. fischeri cultured with the ionic ingredients shows the susceptibility to fungicide (sodium ortho-phenylphenol and imazalil). These protocols provide a new insight how to investigate the correlation between inorganic salts and BL intensity in a low cell density environment such as seawater.

Natural Biostimulants Elicit Plant Immune System in an Integrated Management Strategy of the Postharvest Green Mold of Orange Fruits Incited by Penicillium digitatum.

This study was aimed at testing the integrated use of a natural biostimulant based on seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) and plant (alfalfa and sugarcane) extracts and reduced dosages of the conventional synthetic fungicide Imazalil (IMZ) to manage postharvest rots of orange fruits. The following aspects were investigated: (i) the effectiveness of postharvest treatment with natural biostimulant alone or in mixture with IMZ at a reduced dose against green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum; (ii) the differential expression of defense genes in orange fruits treated with the natural biostimulant both alone and in combination with a reduced dose of IMZ; (iii) the persistence of the inhibitory activity of both biostimulant and the mixture biostimulant/IMZ against green mold; and (iv) the residue level of fungicide in citrus peel when applied alone or in combination with the biostimulant. Treatments with the chemical plant resistance-inducer potassium phosphite, alone or with a reduced dose of IMZ, were included for comparison. The mixture of natural biostimulant and IMZ at a low dose consistently reduced the incidence and severity of fruit green mold and induced a significant increase of the expression level of β-1,3-glucanase-, peroxidase (PEROX)-, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL)-encoding genes in fruit peel, suggesting that the natural biostimulant elicits a long-lasting resistance of citrus fruits to infections by P. digitatum. Interestingly, the residual concentration of IMZ in fruits treated with the biostimulant/fungicide mixture was significantly lower than that of IMZ in fruits treated only with the fungicide at the same dose and by far below the threshold values set by the European Union. This study laid the foundations for (i) conceiving a practical and more eco-friendly alternative to the conventional postharvest management of green mold of citrus fruits, based almost exclusively on the use of synthetic fungicide IMZ, alone or mixed with potassium phosphite and (ii) providing a better insight into the mechanisms of disease resistance induction by biostimulants.

Potential of Trichoderma piluliferum as a biocontrol agent of Colletotrichum musae in banana fruits

Bananas are among the most widely consumed fruits in the world and are produced in large quantities in tropical and subtropical areas. These fruits are affected by several postharvest diseases, such as anthracnose caused by C. musae. This disease is generally managed by the application of chemical fungicides, however, biological control has been recommended as an alternative method. The main goal of this research was to evaluate the antagonistic capacity of T. piluliferum against C. musae using in vitro and in vivo tests. T. piluliferum grew on the hyphae of C. musae and occupied the entire surface of the medium. Volatile and nonvolatile metabolites produced by T. piluliferum inhibited the mycelial growth of C. musae by 62% and 20%, respectively. T. piluliferum secreted the cell-wall degrading enzymes chitinase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, β-1,3-glucanase as well as proteases after growth on C. musae biomass. These enzymes damaged the cell wall structures of C. musae resulting in swollen and vacuolated hyphae. The metabolites reduced damage caused by C. musae in banana fruits compared with the results obtained with the fungicide Imazalil. The data showed that the time of application of metabolites is an important factor to consider when developing a product to prevent postharvest diseases in banana fruits.

Control of Fusarium rot in Galia melon and preservation of fruit quality with UV-C radiation and hot water treatments

Galia melon is an important commodity for Brazilian fresh fruit exports. Significant losses in harvested melon have been attributed to decay, especially caused by Fusarium pallidoroseum, the causal agent of Fusarium rot. Nowadays, the demand for an effective and safe approach to manage postharvest disease has increased. In the current study, two methods of control were studied: UV-C radiation at 2 kJ/m2 and hot water treatment (HWT), which were tested in two different ways. Some fruits were immersed (hot water dipping, HWD) at 52 °C for 2 min, and others were hot water brushed (HWB) at 55, 60, 65, and 70 °C for 15 s. The influence of the treatments on the quality of melon was evaluated by physicochemical parameters, respiration and ethylene emission measurement, and enzymatic analysis. The in vitro tests showed that the dose of 1.0 kJ/m2 of UV-C and the heat treatment at 55 °C for 15 s completely inhibited the spore germination of F. pallidoroseum. HWT by HWD at 52 °C for 2 min and HWB at 65 °C for 15 s, similarly to UVC treatment at 2 kJ/m2, efficiently controlled Fusarium rot in Galia melon, not differing from the imazalil fungicide (100 g a.i./100L) treatment. The UV-C radiation reduced the activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase at specific days of storage. The climacteric peak of respiration occurred on the 16th day for all treatments, and the intensity was significantly lower for UV-C treatment. Ethylene production was not remarkably affected. Consumer acceptance evaluation indicated that fruit treated by heat and UV-C presented better appearance on the 20th day of storage. Those treatments preserved the overall quality of the fruit, delaying the onset of rot symptoms, thus increasing shelf life.

Antifungal Activity and DNA Topoisomerase Inhibition of Hydrolysable Tannins from Punica granatum L.

Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) fruit is known to be an important source of bioactive phenolic compounds belonging to hydrolysable tannins. Pomegranate extracts have shown antifungal activity, but the compounds responsible for this activity and their mechanism/s of action have not been completely elucidated up to now. The aim of the present study was the investigation of the inhibition ability of a selection of pomegranate phenolic compounds (i.e., punicalagin, punicalin, ellagic acid, gallic acid) on both plant and human fungal pathogens. In addition, the biological target of punicalagin was identified here for the first time. The antifungal activity of pomegranate phenolics was evaluated by means of Agar Disk Diffusion Assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) evaluation. A chemoinformatic analysis predicted for the first time topoisomerases I and II as potential biological targets of punicalagin, and this prediction was confirmed by in vitro inhibition assays. Concerning phytopathogens, all the tested compounds were effective, often similarly to the fungicide imazalil at the label dose. Particularly, punicalagin showed the lowest MIC for Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea, whereas punicalin was the most active compound in terms of growth control extent. As for human pathogens, punicalagin was the most active compound among the tested ones against Candida albicans reference strains, as well as against the clinically isolates. UHPLC coupled with HRMS indicated that C. albicans, similarly to the phytopathogen Coniella granati, is able to hydrolyze both punicalagin and punicalin as a response to the fungal attack. Punicalagin showed a strong inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 9.0 and 4.6 µM against C. albicans topoisomerases I and II, respectively. Altogether, the results provide evidence that punicalagin is a valuable candidate to be further exploited as an antifungal agent in particular against human fungal infections.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of imazalil transformation products on Eisenia Andrei.

Data concerning the toxicity of the transformation products of some pesticides considered emerging contaminants are still incipient. This study aimed to evaluate acute (filter paper contact and avoidance test) and chronic (assays carried out in Red yellow Ultisoil) effects of the transformation products of the fungicide imazalil (IMZ) by heterogeneous photocatalysis (TiO2/UV) in Eisenia andrei. Some endpoints, i.e. biomass variation, disorder in reproduction and avoidance behavior, cytotoxicity (cell density and feasibility), and coelomic fluid (eleocytes and amoebocytes, immune cell) and antioxidant system (catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)) changes were assessed. The studied degradation times (6, 18, 35 and 90 min) represented 70; 35; 10 and 0% of the initial IMZ concentration (5 mg L-1). No lethality and no significant difference in biomass variations were noted in the acute contact test. Decreased GST and increased CAT activities, as well as cell typing alterations and decreased cell viability and density detected at the 90-min degradation timepoint (PDT-90) indicate direct cytotoxic IMZ transformation product effects. In the avoidance test, no significant earthworm repulsion or attraction was observed. PDT-90 transformation products were responsible for losses in biomass and a reduction in the number of earthworm cocoons and juveniles present in soil. No cytotoxic effects were observed in the long term, although increased CAT and decreased GST activities were observed. Investigations on the relative toxicity of IMZ transformation products are relevant for future discussions regarding the environmental treatment, control and destination of this compound and its derivatives.

Chitosan and phenolic compounds in the control of anthracnose in mango

Abstract Mango (Mangifera indica L.) has great socioeconomic importance to Brazil, but its production is affected by anthracnose. Chitosan films have shown potential in controlling this disease. In this study, the effect of the association of chitosan with phenolic compounds and extracts on the Colletotrichum tropicaledevelopment was evaluated. Phenolic compounds and extracts from mango peel were incorporated into 2.0% chitosan solutions and tested in vitro. In the in vivo experiment, after pathogen inoculation and application of treatments, fruits were evaluated for anthracnose incidence and severity. Controls consisted of the application of water or pure culture medium and fungicide imazalil. The experimental design was completely randomized and data were submitted to analysis of variance. In the in vitro test and in the assessment of disease intensity, means were compared using the Scott-Knott and Tukey tests (p <0.05), respectively. Controls were compared to the other treatments using the Dunnett test (p <0.05). Total growth inhibition, conidia production and C. tropicale germination were verified with the incorporation of citric, pyrocatecoic and transcinamic acids to chitosan, with no significant difference between them and the fungicide. Low anthracnose incidence and severity was observed in mangoes treated with chitosan combined with phenolic compounds.

Pathogen identification and control of sooty spot caused by Cladosporium ramotenellum, appearing on fresh easy peeler mandarins from Perú

During the 2018 season, superficial dry and firm black spots, where sometimes an aerial mycelium developed, appeared on the rind of easy peeler mandarins causing high economic losses in fresh citrus exports from Perú. In this work, we have identified the causal agent, a species of Cladosporium not previously reported as a citrus pathogen. The pathogen was isolated from rind lesions of affected fruit and was identified by sequencing as Cladosporium ramotenellum; and fulfilment of Koch postulates was proven. This species was present on the surface of immature fruit in the groves, indicating that the infection is likely initiated before harvest. Cladosporium ramotenellum is resistant to the postharvest fungicides imazalil, pyrimethanil, and thiabendazole, but sensitive to propiconazole, prochloraz, and ortho-phenylphenol. We designed a postharvest industrial treatment to decrease the Cladosporium sp. load on the fruit surface that limited the incidence of infection and reduced the postharvest losses caused by the fungus. Although this species is quite ubiquitous, this is the first description of C. ramotenellum causing decay of citrus fruit, being the symptoms of this disease similar to the ones described previously and caused by Cladosporium cladosporoides in cv. Satsuma mandarins from Japan.

Suppression of Rhizopus fruit rot by volatile organic compounds produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa CF05

ABSTRACT Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a biocontrol bacterium Paenibacillus polymyxa CF05 were evaluated for antifungal effects against Rhizopus stolonifer, an important pathogen causing postharvest fruit rot. The aerial mycelial growth and sporangia production of R. stolonifer was inhibited after exposure to the bacterial VOCs. Moreover, bacterial VOCs exhibited effective inhibition on Rhizopus rots of cherry, mango and nectarine, resulting 75.88%, 60.64% and 73.13% of suppression ratios at 96 h postinoculation (hpi), respectively. However, the suppression ratios were lower than chemical fungicide imazalil. The main volatile compounds from CF05 were analysed by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) and 14 compounds were predominately identified. Among them, the volatile compounds benzothiazole and butylated hydroxytoluene exhibited the highest inhibitory effects on R. stolonifer, resulting 0.03 μL mL −1 headspace and 0.04 μL mL −1 headspace of 50% effective concentrations (EC50), respectively. Furthermore, the antagonistic effects of bacterial VOCs were dependent on the cultivation medium, which might be attributed to their various amounts and compositions. In conclusion, the antifungal VOCs from strain CF05 could be a promising agent in the integrated management of Rhizopus fruit rot.

Functional and Pharmacological Comparison of Human, Mouse, and Rat Organic Cation Transporter 1 toward Drug and Pesticide Interaction.

Extrapolation from animal to human data is not always possible, because several essential factors, such as expression level, localization, as well as the substrate selectivity and affinity of relevant transport proteins, can differ between species. In this study, we examined the interactions of drugs and pesticides with the clinically relevant organic cation transporter hOCT1 (SLC22A1) in comparison to the orthologous transporters from mouse and rat. We determined Km-values (73 ± 7, 36 ± 13, and 57 ± 5 µM) of human, mouse and rat OCT1 for the commonly used substrate 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP) and IC50-values of decynium22 (12.1 ± 0.8, 5.3 ± 0.4, and 10.5 ± 0.4 µM). For the first time, we demonstrated the interaction of the cationic fungicides imazalil, azoxystrobin, prochloraz, and propamocarb with human and rodent OCT1. Drugs such as ketoconazole, clonidine, and verapamil showed substantial inhibitory potential to human, mouse, and rat OCT1 activity. A correlation analysis of hOCT1 versus mouse and rat orthologs revealed a strong functional correlation between the three species. In conclusion, this approach shows that transporter interaction data are in many cases transferable between rodents and humans, but potential species differences for other drugs and pesticides could not be excluded, though it is recommendable to perform functional comparisons of human and rodent transporters for new molecular entities.

Combining Brassica sachets and extracts with thermotherapy against postharvest green mold of orange

Green mold is the major source of postharvest decay in oranges worldwide. The disease, caused by Penicillium digitatum, is responsible for severe production losses during transportation, storage and commercialization of the fruits. Although green mold is conventionally managed with synthetic fungicides, the use of these products is frequently associated with the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains and new control strategies are needed. The objectives of this study were to test brassica sachets and extract, combined or not with thermotherapy, for green mold postharvest control in oranges. Initially, the effects of canola and mustard extracts and sachets were tested on P. digitatum in vitro and on green mold in inoculated oranges and the best treatments were tested combined with thermotherapy. The best alternative treatments of canola and mustard were compared with the conventional green mold treatment with the fungicide Imazalil. Results demonstrated that fungitoxic volatile compounds were produced by canola and mustard extracts and sachets, reducing P. digitatum development in vitro and green mold on inoculated oranges. There was no additive effect from the combination of the brassicas treatments with thermotherapy. Sachet treatments showed to be the best alternative control to green mold, mostly the canola sachet which showed the same control as Imazalil on P. digitatum sporulation on green mold lesions. Brassica sachets, mainly with canola, produced fungitoxic volatile compounds with great potential as an alternative control for green mold.

Mycoinsecticide formulations of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae reduce populations of lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus, in chicken-broiler houses

Granular formulations of two entomopathogenic fungal isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae were evaluated as mycoinsecticides for control of lesser mealworm populations in broiler houses at a farm in southeast Queensland, Australia, over five production batches. The formulations were compared to rotated treatments of the insecticides β-cyfluthrin and spinosad, and to untreated populations. Lesser mealworm populations were measured by counting insects in bedding litter samples taken from under feed pans each week of each batch. Granular formulations applied at ≈45 g/m2 (conidia per m2: 3.4 × 1010B. bassiana; 1.28 × 1010M. anisopliae) in 0.9 m-wide bands under feedlines and along walls each batch produced mean population suppressions of 72% for B. bassiana and ≈50% for M. anisopliae, compared to untreated populations. The insecticide regimen applied at label rates to the whole floor and lower walls of houses each batch produced a mean suppression of ≈48%. An application of the fungicide imazalil for Aspergillus in batch 4 appeared to inhibit the efficacy of the mycoinsecticide formulations.