Abstract
Two stilbenes, resveratrol and pterostilbene, exhibit antifungal activity against Leptosphaeria maculans, the fungal pathogen responsible for blackleg (stem canker) in canola (Brassica napus). In vitro studies on the effect of these stilbenes on L. maculans mycelial growth and conidia germination showed that pterostilbene is a potent fungicide and sporicide, but resveratrol only exerted minor inhibition on L. maculans. Cell viability of hyphae cultures was markedly reduced by pterostilbene and SYTOX green staining showed that cell membrane integrity was compromised. We demonstrate that pterostilbene exerts fungicidal activity across 10 different L. maculans isolates and the compound confers protection to the blackleg-susceptible canola cv. Westar seedlings. The potential of pterostilbene as a control agent against blackleg in canola is discussed.
MeSH terms
-
Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
-
Ascomycota / drug effects*
-
Ascomycota / growth & development
-
Ascomycota / pathogenicity
-
Brassica napus / drug effects*
-
Brassica napus / microbiology
-
Cells, Cultured
-
Fungicides, Industrial / pharmacology
-
Germination / drug effects
-
Plant Diseases / microbiology
-
Plant Diseases / prevention & control*
-
Plant Stems / drug effects
-
Spores, Fungal / drug effects
-
Spores, Fungal / physiology
-
Stilbenes / pharmacology*
Substances
-
Antifungal Agents
-
Fungicides, Industrial
-
Stilbenes
-
pterostilbene
Grants and funding
This study is funded by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (
http://economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au/) and Grains Research and Development Corporation (
http://www.grdc.com.au/) under project number DAN00208. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.