Effect of phenolic compounds on maize ear rot pathogens and their associate mycotoxins

Date
2018-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important staple food crops in South Africa. It is significantly affected by Fusarium ear rot (FER) pathogens such as F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans, as well as Gibberella ear rot (GER) pathogens such as F. boothii and F. graminearum which results in poor grain quality and yield. Grain contamination with these pathogens also poses a significant food safety concern, as they are known to produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins have been associated with a number of humans and animal diseases. Mycotoxins persist during food processing as they are heat-stable molecules and thus not fully eliminated. Therefore, the most effective way to prevent mycotoxins contamination would be to limit their production and accumulation in the field. Numerous cultural methods may reduce Fusarium inoculum, however, none of these methods are totally effective under high disease pressure and ideal circumstances for mycotoxin production. Phenolic compounds, naturally produced by plants, have been shown to reduce the growth and mycotoxin production of Fusarium spp. Pre-existing phenolic compounds can act as a physical barrier to pathogens, while induced phenolic compounds have been known to accumulate in response to biotic stress such as fungal infections. Phenolic compounds are associated with plant defence mechanisms and can be seen as a potential management strategy. In this study, the phenolic compounds vanillic, ferulic, caffeic, coumaric, chlorogenic and sinapic acid were used at different concentrations (0; 0.5; 1.5 and 2.5 mM) in vitro to evaluate the effect of phenolic compounds on FER and GER causal pathogens. A significant isolate by compound by concentration interaction was observed. The growth study illustrated significant reduction in growth of all Fusarium species evaluated. The growth of all isolates was inhibited by ferulic acid (2.5 mM). Ferulic acid combined with caffeic acid did not differ significantly from ferulic acid (2.5 mM) individually, while ferulic acid combined with chlorogenic acid had a synergistic effect when compared to the compounds individually. The biomass of the FER pathogens were reduced by caffeic acid while vanillic and coumaric acid reduced the biomass of the GER pathogens. Several phenolic compounds were able to reduce the production of mycotoxins, with chlorogenic acid significantly reducing the production of all mycotoxins evaluated. Phenolic profiles in response to infection by F. verticillioides, over kernels maturation stages, of a resistant (CML 390) and susceptible (R2565y) maize inbred line was evaluated. Ferulic and caffeic acid was found at higher concentrations in the susceptible line than in the resistant line. Moreover, higher concentratrions of ferulic, sinapic and caffeic acid was observed in the water-inoculated grain of both lines compared to the fungal-inoculated grain.. No clear differences in phenolic content were established in the fungal-inoculated grain of both lines. In addition, gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) 3 was determined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR. The susceptible line displayed a delayed response to infection as PAL3 was only upregulated at 28 days after inoculation (dai). However, the resistant line illustrated a much faster defence response as PAL3 was up-regulated from 7 dai. The information obtained in this study could be used to enhance integrated disease management strategies to prevent infection by mycotoxigenic fungi and subsequent contamination with mycotoxins.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mielies (Zea mays L.) is een van die belangrikste stapelvoedselgewasse in Suid-Afrika. Dit word beduidend beïnvloed deur Fusarium kopvrot (FKV) patogene soos F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum en F. subglutinans, asook Gibberella kopvrot (GKV) patogene soos F. boothii en F. graminearum wat tot swak graankwaliteit en opbrengs lei. Graanbesmetting met hierdie patogene vorm ook 'n belangrike voedselveiligheid kwessie, aangesien hulle daarvoor bekend is om mikotoksiene te produseer. Mikotoksiene word met 'n aantal mens- en dieresiektes geassosieer. Mikotoksiene word nie tydens voedselverwerking vernietig nie, aangesien dit hitte-stabiele molekules is en dus nie heeltemal vernietig word nie. Daarom is die mees doeltreffende manier om kontaminasie van mikotoksiene te voorkom, om hul produksie en akkumulasie in die veld te beperk. Verskeie verbouingsmetodes kan Fusarium inokulum verminder, maar geeneen van hierdie metodes is heeltemal effektief onder hoë siektedruk en ideale omstandighede vir mikotoksienproduksie nie. Daar is getoon dat fenoliese verbindings, wat natuurlik deur plante geproduseer word, die groei en mikotoksienproduksie van Fusarium spp verminder. Vooraf- bestaande fenoliese verbindings kan as 'n fisiese versperring vir patogene optree, terwyl geïnduseerde fenoliese verbindings daarvoor bekend is om in reaksie op biotiese stres soos swaminfeksies, te akkumuleer. Fenoliese verbindings word met plantverdedigingsmeganismes geassosieer en kan as 'n potensiële bestuurstrategie gesien word. In hierdie studie is die fenoliese verbindings vanille-, ferul-, kafeïen-, kumariese-, chlorogene- en sinapiensuur in verskillende konsentrasies (0; 0.5, 1.5 en 2.5 mM) in vitro gebruik om die effek van fenoliese verbindings op FKV en GKV veroorsakende patogene te evalueer. 'n Betekenisvolle isolaat en verbinding en konsentrasie interaksie is waargeneem. Die groeistudie het 'n betekenisvolle vermindering in die groei van alle Fusarium spesies wat geëvalueer is, getoon. Die groei van alle isolate is deur feruliensuur (2.5 mM) geïnhibeer. Ferulinsuur, gekombineer met kafeïensuur, verskil nie betekenisvol van feruliensuur (2.5 mM) alleen nie, terwyl feruliensuur, gekombineer met chlorogene suur, 'n sinergistiese effek gehad het wanneer met die verbindings individueel vergelyk is. Die biomassa van die FKV patogene is deur kafeïensuur verminder, terwyl die vanilliese en kumariese suur die biomassa van die GKV patogene verminder het. Verskeie fenoliese verbindings was in staat om die produksie van mikotoksiene met chlorogene suur betekenisvol te verminder, wat die produksie van alle mikotoksiene wat geëvalueer is, aansienlik verminder het. Fenoliese profiele in reaksie op infeksie deur F. verticillioides, oor die veroudering van pitte, van 'n weerstandbiedende (CML 390) en vatbare (R2565y) mielie ingebore lyn, is geëvalueer. Ferulien- en kafeïensuur is by 'n hoër konsentrasie in die vatbare lyn as in die weerstandbiedende lyn gevind. Verder is hoër konsentrasies van ferulien-, sinapic- en kafeïensuur in die water-geïnokuleerde graan van beide lyne gevind teenoor swam- geïnokuleerde graan. Geen duidelike verskille in fenoliese inhoud is in die swam- geïnokuleerde graan van beide lyne vasgestel nie. Daarbenewens is geen-uitdrukking van fenielalanien ammoniakliase (PAL) 3 deur middel van omgekeerde transkripsie kwantitatiewe PKR bepaal. Die vatbare lyn vertoon 'n vertraagde reaksie op infeksie, aangesien PAL3 slegs by 28 dae na inokulasie (dni) opgereguleer is. Die weerstandbiedende lyn het egter 'n baie vinniger verdedigingsreaksie getoon, aangesien PAL3 vanaf 7 dni opgereguleer is. Die inligting wat in hierdie studie verkry word, kan gebruik word om geïntegreerde siektebestuurstrategieë te verbeter ten einde infeksie deur mikotoksigeniese swamme en daaropvolgende kontaminasie met mikotoksiene, te voorkom.
Description
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Phenolic compounds, Maize (Zea mays L.), Fusarium ear rot (FER) -- Pathogenesis, Mycotoxins, Maize -- Diseases and pests -- South Africa, Plants -- Effect of mycotoxins on, UCTD
Citation