GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HONEY BEES (Apis mellifera) IN THE DRY COASTAL ZONE OF THE O’HIGGINS REGION, CHILE

Nicolás F. Barriga¹ , Naomi M. Durán^{2 *},Patricia L. Aldea²

ABSTRACT

Pathogenic fungi generate crop diseases, and affect yield and food production. The use of phytosanitary products to control fungal diseases can pose a risk to human health and the environment. In this context, the use of plant metabolites as potential bio-controls for pathogens turns out to be a sustainable alternative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-fungal action of six compounds of plant origin: daidzein, genistein, two chalcones, vanillin and isovanillin, on the in vitro growth of pathogens. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (CFM) of each chemical compound were evaluated by the broth micro-dilution method against five fungal genera: Alternaria sp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium (F. graminearum, F. subglutinans, F. proliferatum, F. oxysporum), Phomopsis longicolla, and Rhizopus stolonifer. The results indicated that daidzein, genistein, iso-vanillin and CH1 did not show an inhibitory and / or fungicidal action at concentrations lower that 250 µg mL-1. CH2 was characterized by inhibiting four isolates belonging to three genera in different concentrations, and presenting fungicidal activity on two of them. Vanillin proved to be effective to inhibit and / or eliminate all of the isolates (nine) included in the five fungal genera evaluated at concentrations below 250 µg mL-1. It is concluded that metabolites of plant origin such as vanillin and CH2 presented antifungal capacity in different degrees and specificity on the isolates.

Key words: Plant metabolites, phytopathogenic fungi, antifungal action.

¹ Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile. nicolas.barriga@umayor.cl.

 ² Centro de Estudios Apícola (CEAPIMAYOR), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.

^*Corresponding author E-mail: naomi.duran@mayor.cl