2. Academic Validation
  3. Radicinin, a Fungal Phytotoxin as a Target-Specific Bioherbicide for Invasive Buffelgrass ( Cenchrus ciliaris) Control

Radicinin, a Fungal Phytotoxin as a Target-Specific Bioherbicide for Invasive Buffelgrass ( Cenchrus ciliaris) Control

  • Molecules. 2019 Mar 19;24(6):1086. doi: 10.3390/molecules24061086.
Marco Masi 1,  Fabrizio Freda 2,  Felicia Sangermano 3,  Viola Calabrò 4,  Alessio Cimmino 5,  Massimo Cristofaro 6 7,  Susan Meyer 8,  Antonio Evidente 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Napoli, Italy. marco.masi@unina.it.
  • 2 BBCA onlus, Via A. Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy. wallace_14@hotmail.com.
  • 3 Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Napoli, Italy. felicia.sangermano@unina.it.
  • 4 Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Napoli, Italy. vcalabro@unina.it.
  • 5 Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Napoli, Italy. alessio.cimmino@unina.it.
  • 6 BBCA onlus, Via A. Signorelli 105, 00123 Rome, Italy. m.cristofaro55@gmail.com.
  • 7 ENEA C.R. Casaccia, SSPT-BIOAG-PROBIO, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy. m.cristofaro55@gmail.com.
  • 8 U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 735 North 500 East, Provo, UT 84606, USA. semeyer@xmission.com.
  • 9 Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126 Napoli, Italy. evidente@unina.it.
PMID: 30893868 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061086
Abstract

The Fungal pathogens Cochliobolus australiensis and Pyricularia grisea have recently been isolated from diseased leaves of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) in its North American range, and their ability to produce phytotoxic metabolites that could potentially be used as natural herbicides against this invasive weed was investigated. Fourteen secondary metabolites obtained from in vitro cultures of these two pathogens were tested by leaf puncture assay on the host plant at different concentrations. Radicinin and (10S, 11S)-epi-pyriculol proved to be the most promising compounds. Thus, their phytotoxic activity was also evaluated on non-host indigenous Plants. Radicinin demonstrated high target-specific toxicity on buffelgrass, low toxicity to native Plants, and no teratogenic, sub-lethal, or lethal effects on zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) embryos. It is now under consideration for the development of a target-specific bioherbicide to be used against buffelgrass in natural systems where synthetic herbicides cause excessive damage to native Plants.

Keywords

Cochliobolus australiensis; Pyricularia grisea; buffelgrass; epi-pyriculol; foliar pathogens; phytotoxins; radicinin.

Figures
Products
  • Cat. No.
    Product Name
    Description
    Target
    Research Area
  • HY-113816
    Fungal Phytotoxin