Biological Control Of Mycotoxigenic Fungi And Associated Mycotoxins By The Application Of Bacterial And Yeast Antifungal Compounds

Abstract

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of mycotoxigenic fungi and are considered as a serious threaten to the life of humans and animals, since some of these mycotoxins are carcinogenic compounds. In this M.Sc research project, we demonstrated that the low fermenting yeast L. thermotolerans 751 has a great antifungal potential through the synthesis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) that are able to act against the mycotoxigenic fungi and the synthesis of their mycotoxins. L. thermotolerans 751 has also shown a great adsorption potential to mycotoxins in in-vitro experiments. In addition, these VOCs were applied in in-vitro experiments to inhibit the fungal growth and spores’ germination and protection of fungi inoculated tomato fruit, for more than one month. On the other hand, our second biocontrol agent, the Qatari bacterial strain Burkholderia cepacia (QBC03) has shown a broad antifungal spectrum and a very efficient inhibition of the synthesis of mycotoxins.