Multi-target biocontrol by avocado fungal endophytes and their metabolites

Trichoderma endophytic strains from avocado showed the strongest inhibition of plant pathogens, with Trichoderma 3 EtOAc extracts suppressing all three phytopathogens.

• Why it matters: Multi-target biocontrol is needed to better manage pests and pathogens, but the specific endophyte strains and metabolites driving broad activity remain unclear.
• What they did: The study screened 11 avocado endophytic fungal strains against three plant pathogens and two insect pests, then used metabolomic profiling of the two most bioactive strains.
• The result: Purpureocillium and Pochonia strains combined diffusible metabolite-mediated pathogen inhibition with strong insecticidal activity, implicating macrocyclic trichothecenes in Trichoderma 3 and cyclosporine-like cyclic peptides in Purpureocillium.

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