The use of Bacillus subtilis for screening fusaric acid production by Fusarium spp.

Abstract

Fusaric acid (FA) is one of the most important secondary metabolites produced by <I>Fusarium oxysporum</I> (Schlecht) (FO), <I>F. solani</I> (Mart.) Appel & Wollenweber, and <I>F. moniliforme</I> Sheldon. It is toxic to humans, many plants, and microorganisms and it enhances the toxicity of fumonisin and trichothecene. A simple and rapid method for fusaric acid (FA) screening in <I>Fusarium</I> isolates was developed. In this study, several strains of <I>Fusarium oxysporum</I> were tested for their ability to produce FA by using a suitable race of <I>Bacillus subtilis</I> as the bioassay. A modified method using small agar blocks with the fungus producing FA was applied in the screening test. FA standard and <I>F. culmorum</I> were used as controls. The experimental <I>F. oxysporum</I> isolates and FA standard produced transparent zones on the plates with <I>Bacillus subtilis</I>. The differences in size of the transparent zones corresponded to the quantity of FA when thin-layer chromatography was used.