Aureobasidium pullulans (LS-30) an antagonist of postharvest pathogens of fruits: study on its modes of action

• Published in: Postharvest biology and technology Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 7 - 17
• Main Authors: Castoria, R., De Curtis, F., Lima, G., Caputo, L., Pacifico, S., De Cicco, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier B.V 2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Antagonistic activity; Antibiosis; Aureobasidium pullulans; Biocontrol; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Control; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Modes of action; N-Acetyl-β- d-glucosaminidase; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Postharvest diseases; β-1-3-glucanase; N-Acetyl-β- d-glucosaminidase; Aureobasidium pullulans; Postharvest diseases; Antagonistic activity; Modes of action; Antibiosis; β-1-3-glucanase; Biocontrol; Chitinase; Dessert grape; Plant pathogen; Botrytis cinerea; Biological control; Phycomycetes; Rosaceae; Malus domestica; Vitis vinifera; Fungi; Antagonism; Enzymatic activity; Vitidaceae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Interspecific competition; Mould; Antagonist; Fruit tree; Fungi Imperfecti; Mechanism of action; Thallophyta; Glucanase; Fruit; Enzyme; Rhizopus stolonifer; Treatment efficiency; Pest and disease control; Penicillium expansum; Apple; Fruit crop; Aspergillus niger; Glycosidases; Hydrolases; Spermatophyta; O-Glycosidases
• ISSN: 0925-5214; 1873-2356
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-5214(00)00186-1

In small-scale experiments Aureobasidium pullulans (isolate LS-30) displayed significant antagonistic activity against Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger on table grapes, and B. cinerea and P. expansum on apple fruit. To improve the performance of this yeast-like fungus, possible modes of action were investigated. Competition for nutrients appeared to play a role in the activity of this antagonist. Extracellular exochitinase [ N-acetyl-β- d-glucosaminidase (Nagase)] and β-1-3-glucanase activities were also detected both in vitro and in apple wounds, which are the main sites of penetration of postharvest fungal pathogens, suggesting that these enzymes may actually be involved in the antagonistic activity of this microorganism. Neither antibiosis nor direct physical interaction of LS-30 cells with the hyphae of B. cinerea appeared to be involved in the activity of this antagonist.