Abstract:

In the course of investigations on the role of secondary metabolites in plant-microbe interactions, the production of secondary metabolites by Macrophomina phaseolina isolates from Eucalyptus globulus, was studied. This fungus is responsible for several plant diseases which affect crop productivity and industry. Although secondary metabolites may play a role in disease development, there are very few reports on M. phaseolina metabolomics and, as far as we know, isolates from eucalypts have not been investigated for secondary metabolites production. In the present paper, metabolites typical of fungi, from the family Botryosphaeriaceae, were identified for the first time as products of M. phaseolina. Furthermore, the isolate under examination was grown in the presence and absence of host stem tissue, and metabolite profiles were compared. Five products are reported for the first time in this species and azelaic acid was exclusively produced in the presence of eucalypt stem. Finally, phytotoxicity and cytotoxicity tests of culture filtrates and crude organic extracts were also performed. Key Contribution: Lipophilic metabolites produced by M. phaseolina might play a role in the plant-fungus interactions responsible for serious diseases of E. globulus.

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