Exploiting Paraphaeosphaeria minitans and Its Antifungal Metabolites as Bio-Fungicides for Eco-Friendly Management of Head Rot Disease in Cabbage.

ABSTRACT: Cabbage head rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, threatens crop yield and quality. Among the 21 mycoparasitic fungi isolated from sclerotia, dormant structure and primary sources of inoculum for the pathogen, the strongest antagonism (78.51% mycelial growth inhibition) was observed in Paraphaeosphaeria minitans strain TNAU-CM 1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed its destructive colonisation, including pycnidia and pycnidiospore formation, with visible shrinkage and deformation of sclerotia. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified 24 bioactive metabolites at the point of interactions between P. minitans TNAU-CM 1 and S. sclerotiorum TNAU-SS-5 strains in dual-culture assays. Further, crude metabolites from P. minitans TNAU-CM 1 cultures inhibited the p

SUBMITTER: Ruppavalli MV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12859388 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature