An Argentine bio-input, in full development, could positively revolutionize the technology for combating fungi and pests in crops.
Experts from the CONICET, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires (FFyB, UBA) are working on a new natural product.
It would allow fighting against a group of fungi that affect stored grains and cause significant economic losses. They can even cause damage to human and animal health.
Argentine bio-input: how is the development
It is an antifungal formulated from an extract of the Ibirá pitá tree (Peltophorum dubium: Fabaceae/Leguminosae), which has the ability to control the growth of fungi of the species Aspergillus flavus.
This fungus produces mycotoxins, toxic metabolites that exert their effects mainly by ingestion and can cause serious alterations in humans and animals.
“The species of the genus Aspergillus are widely distributed and grow in almost all moist substrates and cereals, thus representing a threat to human and animal health,” explains the leader of the development Renée H. Fortunato, CONICET researcher and director of the Darwinion Botanical Institute (IBODA, CONICET-ANCEFEN).
“Specifically, the species A. flavus produces aflatoxins, a group of chemical toxins that in high doses can cause acute toxicity (aflatoxicosis) and fatal liver damage,” she adds.
“It has also been shown that aflatoxins damage DNA (are genotoxic) and can cause liver cancer in humans,” Fortunato points out.
Experts explain that according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it is estimated that 25% of crops worldwide are contaminated by mycotoxins.
Therefore, its economic and commercial impact cannot be underestimated. In this regard, it highlights that the losses that must be quantified are not only those that directly affect the grains. It is also necessary to consider their indirect impact on the reduction of animal production.
Moreover, they point out that A. flavus is an opportunistic fungal species that develops easily when humidity and temperature conditions are suitable. Therefore, it is essential to generate tools to control its growth.
The natural “anti-resistance” fungicide
To combat fungi that produce mycotoxins, chemical antifungals are usually used.
The lead researcher of the team, Renée H. Fortunato.
However, the central limitation of these formulations is that, as they are composed of one or two active molecules, over time, fungi develop a certain resistance and require higher doses. This has potential risks of environmental contamination.
On the other hand, plant-based antifungals, such as the one being developed by the research consortium led by Fortunato, are composed of a broader set of active compounds.
These are secondary metabolites, and their antifungal activity is expected to remain stable and not generate resistance.
How they arrived at this formula
The antifungal activity of the Peltophorum dubium extract against A. flavus was tested through various in vitro assays. Additionally, phytochemical study revealed the presence of various compounds in the extract that have the ability to control the progress of the fungus.
In this sense, the compound has shown fungistatic action, meaning that, even though it does not kill it, it inhibits the development of A. flavus.
“At the moment, we are in the development stage of a bio-input prototype and we have set up a bioassay to test it on the surface of corn grains, which would be the niche of this development,” says LucÃa Di Ciaccio, researcher at INTA in the Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology (IPVET, CONICET-INTA), and team member.
“Then, it is necessary to be able to scale it so that it can be applied to the grains before they enter the silo,” she adds.
What is needed to progress
“We are currently participating in meetings with various companies in the agro-industrial sector interested in the development of this bio-input,” adds Fortunato.
The Ibirá pitá, a tree that can reach up to forty meters in height and is known for its yellow flowers, naturally grows in the Eastern Chaco and in the high jungles of Misiones, Corrientes, Formosa, with its presence extending to northern Santa Fe. Its ornamental interest has allowed its cultivation in urban trees in Buenos Aires and other cities in the country.
Thanks to the knowledge obtained and the resources established within the framework of these projects, it was possible to establish, through in vitro tests, some extracts that show activity against pathogenic microorganisms.
The Argentine bio-input.
With this information and in order to deepen the studies, those plants whose activity proved to be more promising were selected.
“For our work group, this development represents a significant starting point for the creation of other similar products, as we have a wide variety of plant extracts that could be used in future projects,” states the team leader.
“This type of venture allows us to recognize, value, and give new value to the native flora of the country,” she concludes.
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