The potential of using Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium humberi to control the Asian soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi

Author(s)

Holz, Sabrina ; D'Alessandro, Celeste Paola ; Maximo, Heros Jose ; de Souza, Paulo Henrique Nascimento ; Raruang, Yenjit ; Demetrio, Clarice Garcia Borges ; Delalibera Junior, Italo ; Chen, Zhi-Yuan ; Pascholati, Sergio Florentino

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOCONTROL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; v. 33, n. 4, p. 17-pg., 2023-03-21.

Abstract

Phakopsora pachyrhizi causes Asian soybean rust, resulting in severe losses of soybean yield. This study assessed the biocontrol efficacy of cell-free culture filtrates and conidial suspensions of Metarhizium anisopliae (MABR-01) and M. humberi (MHBR-03) against P. pachyrhizi in vitro and in planta. A 50% concentration of culture filtrates of M. anisopliae and M. humberi inhibited the germination of P. pachyrhizi urediniospores by 85 and 96%, respectively, compared to the 50% potato-dextrose broth (PDB) control. The conidial suspensions caused no inhibition of P. pachyrhizi in vitro, but the conidial suspension of M. anisopliae controlled the rust disease in plants with a 51% efficiency. Soybean plants colonised by M. anisopliae MABR-01 and exposed to P. pachyrhizi showed less severe disease in the shoots compared to plants not colonised by M. anisopliae; the disease was reduced by 40%. Spraying plants with 50 and 75% culture filtrates of M. humberi and a 75% concentration of M. anisopliae significantly reduced rust disease, by an average of 86%. Plants pretreated with Metarhizium culture filtrates showed a 30% reduction in P. pachyrhizi colonisation based on qPCR quantification of the pathogen genomic DNA. These results indicate a high biotechnological and sustainable potential of these two Metarhizium species for control of Asian soybean rust. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/18393-2 - Potential of different isolates of Metarhizium sp in the alternative control (induced resistance) of Phakopsora pachyrhizi in soybean plants
• Grantee: Sabrina Holz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 19/23030-9 - Biotechnological product development containing Memnoniella levispora fungus for use in agriculture
• Grantee: Héros José Maximo
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• FAPESP's process: 19/19767-6 - Determine the active ingredient(s) of the anti-rust activity in the Metarhizium sp. culture filtrate and explore the potential of direct dsRNA application for managing soybean rust disease
• Grantee: Sabrina Holz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree