Biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas cepacia AF2001 and anthelmintic activity of its novel metabolite, cepacidine A

Abstract

Cepacidine A was previously isolated as a novel antifungal antibiotic from the culture broth of Pseudomonas cepacia AF2001. It exhibits a potent in vitro antifungal activity against various plant pathogenic fungi, such as Plasmopora veticola on grapes, Septoria nodorum and Fusarium culmorum on wheat, as well as Colletotrichum lagenarium on cucumbers. Accordingly, this study was conducted to evaluate the potential crop protection activity of strain P. cepacia AF2001. The strain was tested in semi-greenhouse biocontrol assays, and showed an excellent biological activity against Pythium ultimum in cotton and cucumbers; however, only a minor activity against Rhizoctonia solani in cotton was observed. Furthermore, the anthelmintic activity of cepacidine A against the gastrointestinal nematodes Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis was also evaluated. However, the compound only exhibited a moderate activity in the in vitro larval development assay with no activity in the in vivo animal model.