Using agricultural waste to combat plant pathogens environmental friendly ways to combat Xanthomonas citri

• Grant number: 17/50216-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: September 01, 2018 - August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Cooperation agreement: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
• Principal researcher: Henrique Ferreira
• Grantee: Henrique Ferreira
• Principal researcher abroad: Dirk-Jan Acheffers
• Institution abroad: University of Groningen, Netherlands
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is the major producer of concentrate orange juice, exporting 80% of the juice consumed worldwide. The sweet orange juice industry is constantly threatened by diseases that require the use of toxic metais (e.g. copper) and other defensives to enable profitable production. Reducing the usage of defensives in general is of great importance for a sustainable agriculture. In this proposal, we focus on the control of the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri (Xac), the causal agent of citrus canker. To devise alternatives for the control of Xac we setup a consortium aimed to test environmental-friendly compounds, less toxic than copper and able to protect citrus plants from the infection by Xac. Among the first compounds generated by our group, gallic acid derivatives showed potent anti-Xac action. We showed that alkyl gallates, which are phenolic compounds, target the bacterial membrane and the division septum in a concentration dependent manner. Here, we propose to extend our efforts synthesizing phenolic compounds using agricultural waste (sugar cane bagasse) as source material. Simultaneously, we aim to further develop and test the promising chalcone BC01 as a scaffold for antibacterials. Compounds synthesized will be evaluated for their anti-Xac activity, and modified as needed to increase their potency. The mode of action of the compounds will be determined. The most promising compounds will be evaluated for toxicity in animal cells and in honeybees, which are critical for pollination of citrus trees. Finally, these compounds will be evaluated as defensives in greenhouse tests to see if they are able to protect citrus against Xac infection. The outcome of the work should be a novel strategy to combat citrus canker by protecting or curing citrus trees, using biodegradable compounds that can be synthesized from agricultural waste products. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

POLAQUINI, CARLOS R.; MORAO, LUANA G.; NAZARE, ANA C.; TORREZAN, GUILHERME S.; DILARRI, GUILHERME; CAVALCA, LUCIA B.; CAMPOS, DEBORA L.; SILVA, ISABEL C.; PEREIRA, JESSE A.; SCHEFFERS, DIRK-JAN; et al. Antibacterial activity of 3,3 `-dihydroxycurcumin (DHC) is associated with membrane perturbation. BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY, v. 90, n. SI, SEP 2019. (18/15083-2, 09/53989-4, 17/50216-0, 15/50162-2, 15/08089-6, 13/50367-8, 14/50880-0)

POLAQUINI, CARLOS R.; MARQUES, BEATRIZ C.; AYUSSO, GABRIELA M.; MORAO, LUANA G.; SARDI, JANAINA C. O.; CAMPOS, DEBORA L.; SILVA, ISABEL C.; CAVALCA, LUCIA B.; SCHEFFERS, DIRK-JAN; ROSALEN, PEDRO L.; et al. Antibacterial activity of a new monocarbonyl analog of curcumin MAC 4 is associated with divisome disruption. BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY, v. 109, APR 2021. (14/50926-0, 17/50216-0, 09/53989-4, 13/50367-8, 18/00163-0, 14/18330-0, 18/15083-2, 14/50880-0, 15/50162-2)

MORAO, LUANA G.; LORENZONI, ANDRE S. G.; CHAKRABORTY, PARICHITA; AYUSSO, GABRIELA M.; CAVALCA, LUCIA B.; SANTOS, MARIANA B.; MARQUES, BEATRIZ C.; DILARRI, GUILHERME; ZAMUNER, CAIO; REGASINI, LUIS O.; et al. Investigating the Modes of Action of the Antimicrobial Chalcones BC1 and T9A. Molecules, v. 25, n. 20, OCT 2020. (16/07108-0, 17/50216-0, 14/18577-5, 14/18330-0, 18/15083-2, 16/08084-7, 14/18719-4)

CAVALCA, LUCIA BONCI; LAHIVE, CIARAN W.; GIJSBERS, FLEUR; PAVAN, FERNANDO ROGERIO; SCHEFFERS, DIRK-JAN; DEUSS, PETER J.. Benzenetriol-Derived Compounds against Citrus Canker. Molecules, v. 26, n. 5, MAR 2021. (17/50216-0)

BATTAGIN, TIAGO SORAGGI; CACCALANO, MARIO NICOLAS; DILARRI, GUILHERME; CAVICCHIA ZAMUNER, CAIO FELIPE; ALLEONI, NATALIA; SALDANHA, LUIZ LEONARDO; BACCI JR, MAURICIO; FERREIRA, HENRIQUE. Syzygium aromaticum (clove) essential oil: An alternative for the sanitization of citrus fruit in packinghouses. JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, v. 45, n. 9, JUL 2021. (17/07306-9, 15/50162-2, 17/50216-0)

NAZARE, ANA CAROLINA; POLAQUINI, CARLOS ROBERTO; CAVALCA, LUCIA BONCI; ANSELMO, DAIANE BERTHOLIN; CALMON SAIKI, MARILIA DE FREITAS; MONTEIRO, DIEGO ALVES; ZIELINSKA, ALEKSANDRA; RAHAL, PAULA; GOMES, ELENI; SCHEFFERS, DIRK-JAN; et al. Design of Antibacterial Agents: Alkyl Dihydroxybenzoates against Xanthomonas citri subsp citri. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 19, n. 10, OCT 2018. (13/50367-8, 14/18330-0, 15/50162-2, 17/50216-0)

CAVALCA, LUCIA B.; ZAMUNER, CAIO F. C.; SALDANHA, LUIZ L.; POLAQUINI, CARLOS R.; REGASINI, LUIS O.; BEHLAU, FRANKLIN; FERREIRA, HENRIQUE. Hexyl gallate for the control of citrus canker caused byXanthomonas citrisubspcitri. MICROBIOLOGYOPEN, v. 9, n. 9, AUG 2020. (17/50216-0, 15/50162-2, 14/50880-0)

CACCALANO, M. N.; DILARRI, G.; ZAMUNER, C. F. C.; DOMINGUES, D. S.; FERREIRA, H.. Hexanoic acid: a new potential substitute for copper-based agrochemicals against citrus canker. Journal of Applied Microbiology, v. 131, n. 5, p. 2488-2499, NOV 2021. (16/10896-0, 15/50162-2, 14/50880-0, 17/50216-0, 17/07306-9)