Effect of Penicillium rubens strain 212 proteins on controlling Fusarium wilt in tomato plants

Abstract: Penicillium rubens strain 212 (PO212) (formerly P. oxalicum) is an effective biocontrol agent (BCA) in the control of a wide range of horticultural plant pathogens. Evidence of the role proteins play in disease reduction will be presented. We proposed to look for PO212 putative protein candidates that are involved in disease reduction, in order to improve the PO212 efficacy to reduce vascular wilt of tomato. We have demonstrated that extracts of submerged culture free-conidia PO212 were as effective as dried conidia in the control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) in tomato. There were no negative effects on host or pathogen. However, only treatments with viable and dried conidia improved plant growth. PO212 showed the highest mycelial growth and sporulation on medium with 1% xylane. In addition, commercial xylanases were as effective as dried PO212 conidia against Fusarium wilt of tomato.