Biocontrol Effect of Clonostachys rosea on Fusarium graminearum Infection and Mycotoxin Detoxification in Oat (Avena sativa)

Abstract

Oat (Avena sativa) is susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB). The quality of oat grain is threatened by the accumulation of mycotoxins, particularly the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), which also acts as a virulence factor for the main pathogen Fusarium graminearum. The plant can defend itself, e.g., by DON detoxification by UGT-glycosyltransferases (UTGs) and accumulation of PR-proteins, even though these mechanisms do not deliver effective levels of resistance. We studied the ability of the fungal biocontrol agent (BCA) Clonostachys rosea to reduce FHB and mycotoxin accumulation. Greenhouse trials showed that C. rosea-inoculation of oat spikelets at anthesis 3 days prior to F. graminearum inoculation reduced both the amount of Fusarium DNA (79%) and DON level (80%) in mature oat kernels substantially. DON applied to C. rosea-treated spikelets resulted in higher conversion of DON to DON-3-Glc than in mock treated plants. Moreover, there was a significant enhancement of expression of two oat UGT-glycosyltransferase genes in C. rosea-treated oat. In addition, C. rosea treatment activated expression of genes encoding four PR-proteins and a WRKY23-like transcription factor, suggesting that C. rosea may induce resistance in oat. Thus, C. rosea IK726 has strong potential to be used as a BCA against FHB in oat as it inhibits F. graminearum infection effectively, whilst detoxifying DON mycotoxin rapidly.

Integrating microfluidics and synthetic biology: advancements and diverse applications across organisms

“…Biocontrol agent strains like Clonostachya rosea and Trichoderma asperellum often lack adaptation to large-scale fungal growth or agricultural climate conditions, but could be significantly improved through synthetic biology techniques. 102,103 Using microfluidics can help monitor, assess the growth, and study different cultivation conditions of the engineered fungal strains. Channel-based microfluidic devices can be patterned with microchannels for observing hyphal formation, tracking fungal growth in real-time, and investigating interactions among different fungal strains.…”

Looking for Fusarium Resistance in Oats: An Update

“…Treatment of oats with P. flocculosa significantly reduced FHB symptoms, F. graminearum biomass, and DON accumulation in oats and induced expression of genes encoding for PR proteins [134]. Also, the potential of fungal BCA Clonostachys rosea to reduce FHB and mycotoxin accumulation was examined [135]. The treatment of oat spikelets with C. rosea caused a reduction in Fusarium DNA and DON content in mature kernels and enhanced both the rate of DON detoxification and expression of DON-detoxifying UGTs.…”

Destruction of Mycotoxins in Poultry Waste under Anaerobic Conditions within Methanogenesis Catalyzed by Artificial Microbial Consortia

“…Electron irradiation, cold atmospheric plasma, pulsed electric fields, ozonation, and enzymatic hydrolysis are among the most promising innovative methods of detoxification of foods and feeds from aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FUMs), zearalenone (ZEN), and trichothecenes [ 10 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. However, from an economic point of view, it is impractical to use these approaches for the decomposition of mycotoxins in the litter.…”