Evaluation of biofumigant plants for control of Quercus root rot caused by Phytophthora

cinnamomi in rangeland ecosystems

Pedro Ríos1, Sara Obregón2, Antonio de Haro2, Pilar Fernández3 and María Esperanza Sánchez1
1Agronomy
Department, University of Córdoba, Spain;
2Institute
of Sustainable Agriculture-CSIC, Córdoba, Spain;
3Forestry Department, University of Córdoba, Spain. E-mail: ag1sahem@uco.es

Biofumigation is a control method based on the use of volatile compounds released by some plants as a result of the bioactive hydrolysis of
glucosinolates present on this plants. Hydrolysis of glucosinolates generate compounds such as thiocyanates, nitriles and especially isothiocyanates,
with fungicide action against different fungal and oomycete genera, including Phytophthora species.
The implementation of non-chemical, environmentally friendly methods against Quercus root rot affecting rangeland ecosystems (dehesa) based on
biofumigation would be suitable to be used in an ecosystem of organic production as Andalusian dehesas are.

The in vitro effectiveness of two different genotypes of three

potential biofumigant species (Brassica carinata, B. juncea, B. napus)
have been tested against P. cinnamomi mycelial growth (Fig. 1) and
sporangial production (Fig. 2). Fresh plant material was collected at
different phenological stages (flowering and maturity) and macerate
for direct testing, or collected and lyophilized before testing. At the
same time, glucosinolate contents were analyzed for each species,
genotype and phenology tested by using the EU reference method
(HPLC of desulphoglucosinolates).
Fig 1. P. cinnamomi cultures exposed to Fig 2. Testing inhibition of P. cinnamomi
volatiles released by Brassica macerates sporangial production

Total PRO SIN GNL GNA GNB Others Both genotypes of B. napus lacked Total PRO SIN GNL GNA GNB Others

B. napus 1103 5.43 2.15 0.00 0.33 0.65 1.04 1.26 Sinigrin in their glucosinolate B. napus 1104 12.17 7.99 0.11 0.00 0.75 1.02 2.25
profiles at flowering stage,
B. napus 1104 9.87 4.10 0.00 1.72 0.55 1.46 2.03 B. carinata 1103 8.23 0.18 7.84 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21
appearing at low concentrations at
B. carinata 1103 9.64 0.32 8.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.04 maturity stage. Sinigrin represents
B. carinata 1106 13.82 0.45 12.97 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40
the main glucosinolate for both
B. carinata 1106 16.19 0.37 15.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.49 phenological stages of B. carinata B. juncea 1104 18.34 0.16 17.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.68
B. juncea 1104 25.87 0.32 25.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.54
and B. juncea genotypes.
B. juncea 1105 13.01 0.16 12.13 0.00 0.80 0.00 0.46
B. juncea 1105 27.33 0.28 26.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.49 PRO= Progoitrin; SIN= Sinigrin; Glucosinolate profiles at maturity stage (µmol g-1 dry matter)
GNL= Gluconapoleiferin; GNA= Gluconapin;
Glucosinolate profiles at flowering stage (µmol g-1 dry matter) GNB= Glucobrassicanapin
No significant differences between fresh or lyophilized material were detected for inhibition of mycelial growth (p=0.3993).
Fig. 3-4. Brassica carinata and B. juncea
% inhibition of mycelial growth
% Inhibition of mycelyal growth

100 reached the total inhibition of P. 100

80 B.napus 1103 cinnamomi mycelial growth even at the 80

B.napus 1104
60 B.napus 1104 lowest doses tested at both phenological 60
B. carinata 1103
40
B. carinata 1103 stages. Brassica napus got a poor 40 B. carinata 1106
B. carinata 1106
20
inhibition both at flowering and maturity 20 B. juncea 1104
B. juncea 1104
0
stage. 0 B. juncea 1105
B. juncea 1105
0 5 10
The effect of B. carinata and B. juncea 0 5
20 10
20
resulted lethal to P. cinnamomi.
Doses (g) Doses (g)
Fig. 3. Mycelial growth inhibition percentage at flowering stage Fig. 4. Mycelial growth inhibition percentage at maturity stage
90
90
80
80
70 Control Fig. 5-6. Brassica napus did not 70
B. napus 1103 Control
60 significantly inhibit P. cinnamomi
No. Sporangia

60
No. Sporangia

B. napus 1104 B. napus 1104

50
B. carinata 1106
sporangial production, even stimulating it 50 B. carinata 1106
40
B. carinata 1103
at maturity stage. Brassica carinata and 40 B. carinata 1103
30 B. juncea 1104 B. juncea genotypes reached inhibition 30
B. juncea 1104
B. juncea 1105
20 B. juncea 1105 levels higher than 90%. 20
c c c c
10 10
c

0 0
Fig. 5. Effect of biofumigants at flowering stage on sporangial Fig. 6. Effect of biofumigants at maturity stage on sporangial
production. Values with different letters significantly differ production. Values with different letters significantly differ
according with the Tukey´s HSD test (P≤ 0.05) according with the Tukey´s HSD test (P≤ 0.05)

Conclusion: Sinigrin content appears as the best candidate to explain the effect of B. carinata and B. juncea against P. cinnamomi mycelial growth
and sporangial production. Further research is needed to know the in vitro effectiveness of purified Sinigrin and to check the ability of both
biofumigants to inhibit P. cinnamomi oak infections.

This work was supported by the Project of Excellence AGR-6501 (Economy, Innovation and Science Council, Andalusian Government , Spain)