Aspegillus terreus: From Soil to Industry and Back

Abstract

Aspergillus terreus is an important saprophytic filamentous fungus that can be found in soils. Like many other soil microorganisms, A. terreus demonstrates multiple functions and offers various important metabolites, which can be used in different fields of human activity. The first application of A. terreus on an industrial level is the production of itaconic acid, which is now considered as one of the most important bioproducts in the Green Chemistry field. The general schemes for itaconic acid production have been studied, but in this mini-review some lines of future research are presented based on analysis of the published results. A. terreus is also intensively studied for its biocontrol activity and plant growth-promoting effect. However, this microorganism is also known to infect important crops such as, amongst others, rice, wheat, potato, sugar cane, maize, and soybean. It was suggested, however, that the balance between positive vs. negative effects is dependent on the soil-plant-inoculant dose system. A. terreus has frequently been described as an important human pathogen. Therefore, its safety manipulation in biotechnological processes for the production of itaconic acid and some drugs and its use in soil-plant systems should be carefully assessed. Some suggestions in this direction are discussed, particularly concerning the uses in crop production.

Biocontrol Activity of Aspergillus terreus ANU-301 against Two Distinct Plant Diseases, Tomato Fusarium Wilt and Potato Soft Rot

“…Aspergillus , a well-known saprophytic filamentous fungal genus, play different biological roles in different niche, with Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus being the most studied and significant species for their secondary metabolites ( Hossain et al, 2017 ; Park et al, 2017 ; Yu et al, 2021 ). A. terreus , a less well-known and explored microbe, was recently discovered to be a significant biological control agent and plant growth promoting microorganism ( Frisvad and Larsen, 2015 ; Vassileva et al, 2020 ). The biological control capabilities of A. terreus (ANU-301) against several plant diseases are addressed in this work.…”

“…Blackleg and soft rot in potato, both caused by D. chrysanthemi , are among the most damaging bacterial diseases plaguing this world’s fourth most important food crop ( Pédron et al, 2021 ). The potentials of Aspergillus spp., particularly A. terreus , are currently underutilized ( Galeano et al, 2021 ; Vassileva et al, 2020 ). Our investigation established its potential as a future contender for effective biological control agent.…”

“…Aspergillus terreus is a significant saprophytic filamentous fungus found in soil that performs a variety of growth-promoting roles and produces antimicrobial secondary metabolites such as phenols and flavanoids ( Javed et al, 2020 ; Vassileva et al, 2020 ). Additionally, some studies indicate that it has antifungal ( Abdallah et al, 2015 ; Al-Shibli et al, 2019 ; Joncy et al, 2019 ; Waqas et al, 2015 ) and antibacterial properties ( Cazar et al, 2005 ; Liu et al, 2018 ; Zaman et al, 2020 ).…”

Effect of Repeated Plant Debris Reutilization as Organic Amendment on Greenhouse Soil Fertility

“…[ 78 ] or practice saprophytism ( Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Trichoderma spp.) [ 79 , 80 ]. However, these effects are usually not fully clarified when considering the soil environment as a whole where multiple factors can condition the behavior of these microorganisms so that the simple modification of one of these conditions can determine the microoganisms present in the soil [ 78 ].…”

Special Issue: Microorganisms and Plant Nutrition

“…In general, fungal microorganisms are shown to simultaneously perform various important functions. Aspergillus terreus was reported to solubilize inorganic phosphates and promote plant growth and health but also to infect important crops [5] and therefore its form of application should be carefully assessed. However, the multifunctionality of A. terreus including its industrial importance shows the versatile nature of soil microorganisms.…”