Journal of Plant Pathology (2004) 86, p. 308 (Assante et al.)

G. Assante, A. Alfonzo, M. Moretti, L. Torta, S. Burruano and G. Nasini (2004)
On Acremonium sp., endophytic in grapevine leaves and antagonistic to Plasmopara viticola: Chemical structure and activity of acremonines A and B
Journal of Plant Pathology 86 (4), 308-308
XI Meeting, Italian Society for Plant Pathology, Milan, 29/9 - 1/10, 2004 (poster)
Abstract: Acremonium is an anamorphic polyphyletic taxon comprehensive of a hundred species having affiliations with at least three ascomycetous orders. Recently, the new anamorphic genus form Neotyphodium has been proposed to include endophytic species, mainly occurring in grasses. A strain of Acremonium sp., denoted A20, was recently isolated from grapevine leaves infected by Plasmopara viticola. It showed antagonistic properties inducing early collapse of the agamic structures of the downy mildew agent. Furthermore, its culture filtrates reduced sporangium germinability to 13-35% in comparison to the control. For an appropriate taxonomic allocation of A20 and for understanding the ecological potential of this putative biocontrol organism, a wide research program was undertaken. The results are presented herein on the characterization of two of the secondary metabolites produced by A20 in pure culture and on their biological activity against germination of P. viticola sporangia and growth of other plant pathogenic fungi. Both metabolites, up to 5 µM, appeared to be strongly effective in knocking down P. viticola sporangia germination. Acremonine A (C₁₂H₁₈O₄), tested at 1 mM concentration, proved to be ineffective in vitro against Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora capsici, whereas it inhibited weakly the growth of Botrytis cinerea (7.1%) and Cercospora beticola (11.6%). Acremonine B (C₁₂ H₁₄O₃), tested at the same molar concentration, displayed a stronger inhibitory effect on the growth of all tested fungi: 17% on B. cinerea, 25.7% on R. solani, 39.5% on P. capsici and 32.6% on C. beticola. Acremonine B at lower doses maintained its activity at a corresponding lesser extent.
Database assignments for author(s): Gemma Assante, Santella Burruano, Maddalena Moretti

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Plasmopara viticola	Grapevine (Vitis)
Acremonium (anamorphic genus - antagonists)	Plasmopara viticola	Grapevine (Vitis)