. Can. J. Chem. 68, 2095Chem. 68, (1990. The soil fungus Talaromycesjavus (Klocker) Stolk and Samson is an effective biological control for Verticillium wilt of eggplant (Solanurn melongena L.), a disease caused by the fungus Verticilliurn dahliae Kleb. The water soluble metabolites isolated from the broth when the fungus is grown in liquid still culture, hydroxymethylmaltol (I), 5,6-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-2H-pyran-2-one (3), and D-glucono-l,4-lactone (5), do not show antifungal activity against V. dahliae; however, hydrogen peroxide displays this inhibition. This peroxide has been detected in the T.javus broth and it, together with 5, is the product of the glucose oxidase catalyzed oxidation of D-glucose. The results of the search for this antifungal activity are presented. [l-13C] Labelled sodium acetate was utilized as a precursor for studying the biosynthesis of the T. javus metabolites 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methylphthalide (7), methyl 4-carboxy-5-hydroxyphthalaldehydate (a), and talaroflavone (9). The incorporation of label into these compounds is discussed.