title: Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A novel and efficient biological control agent for Colletotrichum acutatum during pre-harvest.
abstract: In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of six isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in controlling Colletotrichum acutatum, the causal agent of postbloom fruit drop that occur in pre-harvest citrus. We analyzed the mechanisms of action involved in biological control such as: production of antifungal compounds, nutrient competition, detection of killer activity, and production of hydrolytic enzymes of the isolates of S. cerevisiae on C. acutatum and their efficiency in controlling postbloom fruit drop on detached citrus flowers. Our results showed that all six S. cerevisiae isolates produced antifungal compounds, competed for nutrients, inhibited pathogen germination, and produced killer activity and hydrolytic enzymes when in contact with the fungus wall. The isolates were able to control the disease when detached flowers were artificially inoculated, both preventively and curatively. In this work we identified a novel potential biological control agent for C. acutatum during pre-harvest. This is the first report of yeast efficiency for the biocontrol of postbloom fruit drop, which represents an important contribution to the field of biocontrol of diseases affecting citrus populations worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CEP 13600-970 Araras, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Roberto
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho", CEP 4884-900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Nadjara
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho", CEP 4884-900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luriany Pompeo
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CEP 13600-970 Araras, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Caroline
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CEP 13600-970 Araras, SP, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho", CEP 4884-900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil; Sylvio Moreira Citriculture Center/IAC, Laboratory Plant Pathology and Biological Control, CEP 13490-970 Cordeirópolis, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: katia@centrodecitricultura.br.
authors.forename: Katia Cristina
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kupper
mesh_terms: D000898:Antibiosis; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D002957:Citrus / Q000382:microbiology; D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D006867:Hydrolases
keywords: Antifungal compounds; Detached citrus flowers; Hydrolytic enzymes; Killer yeast; Postbloom fruit drop