Phytopathogenic organisms and mycotoxigenic fungi: Why do we control one and neglect the other? A biological control perspective in Malaysia

Abstract

In this review, we present the current information on development and applications of biological control against phytopathogenic organisms as well as mycotoxigenic fungi in Malaysia as part of the integrated pest management (IPM) programs in a collective effort to achieve food security. Although the biological control of phytopathogenic organisms of economically important crops is well established and widely practiced in Malaysia with considerable success, the same cannot be said for mycotoxigenic fungi. This is surprising because the year round hot and humid Malaysian tropical climate is very conducive for the colonization of mycotoxigenic fungi and the potential contamination with mycotoxins. This suggests that less focus has been made on the control of mycotoxigenic species in the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium in Malaysia, despite the food security and health implications of exposure to the mycotoxins produced by these species. At present, there is limited research in Malaysia related to biological control of the key mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins, Fusarium‐related mycotoxins, and ochratoxin A, in key food and feed chains. The expected threats of climate change, its impacts on both plant physiology and the proliferation of mycotoxigenic fungi, and the contamination of food and feed commodities with mycotoxins, including the discovery of masked mycotoxins, will pose significant new global challenges that will impact on mycotoxin management strategies in food and feed crops worldwide. Future research, especially in Malaysia, should urgently focus on these challenges to develop IPM strategies that include biological control for minimizing mycotoxins in economically important food and feed chains for the benefit of ensuring food safety and food security under climate change scenarios.

Diversity and Toxigenicity of Mycobiota in Grain Corn: A Case Study at Pioneer Grain Corn Plantations in Terengganu, Malaysia

“…Besides pathogens, fungal species that have potential as biocontrol agents, especially the mycoparasitic Trichoderma spp., were also isolated from both grain corn farms and may be used in the development of an effective control measure to combat fungal infestation indigenously and biologically in the grain corn farms without the use of chemically synthesized fungicides. In our previous review article [39], we have discussed the potentials of Trichoderma spp. to biologically control the fungal diseases on corn, oil palm, soybean, mango, and rice paddy within the Malaysian agro-ecosystems.…”

Perfume Guns: Potential of Yeast Volatile Organic Compounds in the Biological Control of Mycotoxin-Producing Fungi

“…It is estimated that about one third of agricultural commodities produced worldwide are spoiled or wasted during the postharvest stages [ 1 ]. The reported figures range between 10–40%, but may reach 50–70% for some regions and crops where high relative humidity rates or unsuitable storage technologies are common [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Pathogenic fungi of the genera Alternaria , Aspergillus , Botrytis , Fusarium , Geotrichum , Gloeosporium , Monilinia , Mucor , Penicillium , and Rhizopus are considered to be those most frequently responsible for postharvest diseases in stored commodities, including fruits, vegetables, roots, pulses, and cereals.…”

Mycotoxigenic fungal growth inhibition and multi-mycotoxin reduction of potential biological control agents indigenous to grain maize

“…To combat mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin production, various control approaches have been employed including physical, chemical, and biological controls. Of these, biological control is regarded as an alternative for the harmful usage of chemical pesticides (Yazid et al 2020 ). At present, efforts on the development of new biological control agents (BCA) are targeted on the species / strains obtained from the native / indigenous environmental niches of the fungal pathogens, as they could be more effective than introducing foreign / exotic BCA.…”

“…Although the application of BCA against mycotoxigenic fungal species in other parts of the world is already advanced, the same is still in infancy in Malaysia (Yazid et al 2020 ). Among the primary challenges in developing and applying BCA is ensuring mycotoxin inhibition instead of mycotoxin stimulation which is common among mycotoxigenic fungal species in the face of habitat / nutrient competition with the applied BCA.…”