Fusarium species and strains involved in Fusarium Head Blight are differentially affected by the promising TickCore3-based plant care solution.

Abstract

Abstract Cereal crops are frequently affected by Fusarium species that are responsible for the devastating fungal disease Fusarium Head Blight (FHB). These Fusarium species are also capable of producing mycotoxins that accumulate in grains. Reducing the use of synthetic fungicides in agriculture while guaranteeing low levels of mycotoxin contamination in crops requires the development of innovative and environment-friendly solutions. TickCore3 (TC3) is an antimicrobial peptide derived from a defensin DefMT3 of the tick Ixodes ricinus. This peptide was previously reported as a potent antifungal and anti-mycotoxin agent but was only tested against one strain of Fusarium graminearum, which is only one of the species causing FHB. In this study, we demonstrated that TC3 is active against major Fusarium species infecting wheat and has the capacity to inhibit the production of various mycotoxins. Fungal susceptibility to this peptide was shown to greatly vary according to the species and even the strain. We found that TC3 is highly efficient when applied at the spore stage and has a strong anti-germination activity. Using a FITC-labeled TC3 peptide and confocal microscopy, we showed that TC3 has strong affinity for the conidia surface and surrounds these fungal structures. While this study provides further arguments supporting the huge potential of TC3 as a novel and efficient anti-fungal agent, it also highlights the need for further studies to ensure that the application of TC3 in wheat fields will not induce a shift in Fusarium population such as in mycotoxin profile contaminating grains.