Pathogenicity and Metabolites of Endoparasitic Nematophagous Fungus <i>Drechmeria coniospora</i> YMF1.01759 against Nematodes

• Main Authors: Juan Wan, Zebao Dai, Keqin Zhang, Guohong Li, Peiji Zhao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Microorganisms
• Subjects: endoparasitic nematophagous fungi; <i>Drechmeria coniospora</i>; <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>; metabolites; nematicidal; egg hatching
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/8/1735

Plant parasitic nematodes cause severe damage to crops. Endoparasitic nematophagous fungi (ENF) are a type of important biocontrol fungi, which can cause disease or kill nematodes by producing various spores. As a major ENF, <i>Drechmeria coniospora</i> displays certain potential for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes. In this study, the pathogenicity and secondary metabolites of the endoparasitic fungus <i>D. coniospora</i> YMF1.01759 were investigated. The strain <i>D. coniospora</i> YMF1.01759 had high infection efficiency against nematodes. The process of infecting nematodes by the strain was observed under an electron microscope. Here, 13 metabolites including one new compound 4(<i>S</i>)-butoxy-3-(butoxymethyl)-2-hydroxycyclopent-2-en-1-one (<b>2</b>) were isolated and identified from the fermentation products of <i>D. coniospora</i> YMF1.01759 cultured in a SDAY solid medium. Furthermore, a bioassay showed that 5-hydroxymethylfuran-2-carboxylic acid (<b>1</b>) is toxic to the root knot nematode <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i> and affects the hatching of its egg. Thereby, the nematicidal mortality attained 81.50% at 100 μg/mL for 48 h. Furthermore, egg hatching was inhibited at the tested concentrations, compared with water control eggs. This is the first report on the secondary metabolites of the ENF <i>D. coniospora</i>. The results indicated that <i>D. coniospora</i> could infect nematodes by spores and produce active metabolites to kill nematodes. The biological control potential of <i>D. coniospora</i> against nematodes was expounded further.