Antifungal potential of volatiles produced by Aspergillus neoniger F14 against Ganoderma boninense

Abstract

Abstract Ganoderma boninense Pat. is a fungal pathogen that primarily afflicts oil palm, leading to decreased palm oil yield and significant economic losses. The recent focus on biocontrol agents producing acids and volatile compounds has gained momentum due to their straightforward synthesis and ease of interaction with the phytopathogen. This research is a component of a project aimed at exploring the local biodiversity of antagonistic fungi in the oil palm plantation environment, with a specific focus on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Isolate F14, a collection in the Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, BRIN, Indonesia was identified as Aspergillus neoniger, a novel report as a soil-originating fungal community in Indonesian oil palm plantations. VOC profiling using GC-MS revealed five dominant compounds namely (Z)-9-Tricosene, 1,2,3,4,5-Pentamethylcyclopentane, Dihexyl carbonate, Pentadecane, and Tridecyl laurate. Based on aromatogram disc tests against G. boninense colonies, it was determined that VOCs from A. neoniger F14 inhibited growth by 48% on the fifth day. The findings of this study contribute supportive information for further investigations into VOCs produced by other local antagonistic isolates against G. boninense.