Inhibition of fungal plant pathogens by synergistic action of chito-oligosaccharides and commercially available fungicides

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 25;9(4):e93192. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093192. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Chitosan is a linear heteropolymer consisting of β 1,4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and D-glucosamine (GlcN). We have compared the antifungal activity of chitosan with DPn (average degree of polymerization) 206 and FA (fraction of acetylation) 0.15 and of enzymatically produced chito-oligosaccharides (CHOS) of different DPn alone and in combination with commercially available synthetic fungicides, against Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of gray mold in numerous fruit and vegetable crops. CHOS with DPn in the range of 15-40 had the greatest anti-fungal activity. The combination of CHOS and low dosages of synthetic fungicides showed synergistic effects on antifungal activity in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Our study shows that CHOS enhance the activity of commercially available fungicides. Thus, addition of CHOS, available as a nontoxic byproduct of the shellfish industry, may reduce the amounts of fungicides that are needed to control plant diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Ascomycota / drug effects
  • Botrytis / drug effects*
  • Botrytis / physiology
  • Chitinases / chemistry
  • Chitosan / chemistry
  • Chitosan / pharmacology*
  • Cicer / microbiology
  • Drug Synergism
  • Flowers / microbiology
  • Fragaria / microbiology
  • Fungicides, Industrial / pharmacology*
  • Hydrolysis
  • Malus / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry
  • Oligosaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Leaves / microbiology
  • Spores, Fungal / drug effects
  • Spores, Fungal / physiology

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fungicides, Industrial
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Chitosan
  • Chitinases

Grants and funding

The work is funded by Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), P.O. 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.