Work

3‐Hydroxydecanoic acid as a dual‐action biopesticide for Fusarium head blight in wheat: pathogen suppression and immunity activation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Fusarium head blight (FHB), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum, poses a significant threat to wheat production, reducing yields and contaminating grains with the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). Conventional chemical fungicides are increasingly limited by resistance and environmental impact. RESULTS: This study evaluates the efficacy of 3-hydroxydecanoic acid (3-HDA), a natural metabolite, as an eco-friendly biopesticide to manage FHB in wheat. As found, 3-HDA effectively inhibits fungal growth and spore germination in vitro, achieving EC₅₀ values of 295 and 82.5 mg/L, respectively. Field trials showed a 68-98% reduction in FHB severity and DON levels under 1 mg/kg, comparable to triazole fungicides. Mechanistically, 3-HDA activates reactive oxygen species (ROS) within fungal cells, leading to cell death, and boosts wheat immune responses by increasing salicylic acid (SA) levels post-infection. CONCLUSION: These dual actions highlight 3-HDA as a promising, sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides, aligning with environmental objectives in modern agriculture. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Source: Pest Management Science

DOI: 10.1002/ps.70129

Authors: Chong Shen, Yufan Zhang, Huiming Chen, Xutong Bao, Qin Meng

Institutions: Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhejiang University

Language: English

Topic: Fungal Plant Pathogen Control

Subfield: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China