Antifungal activity of the novel compound M451 against phytopathogens

Abstract

Phytopathogenic fungi are the dominant causal agents of plant diseases. Currently available fungicides have significant disadvantages, being insufficiently effective owing to both intrinsic tolerance and the spread of antibiotic resistance accumulating in plant tissues, posing a global threat to public health. Finding a new broad-spectrum fungicide is a challenge for plant protection. We studied the potency of a novel antimicrobial agent, M451, against different phytopathogenic fungi of the phyla Ascomycota, Oomycota, and Basidiomycota. M451 exhibited significant antifungal activity with EC50 values ranging from 34 to 145 {micro}g/mL. Analysis of the minimal fungicidal concentration and conidial destruction assay revealed that M451 possesses the highest activity compared with different polyene, azole, and phenylpyrrole antifungals against Fusarium oxysporum. Time-kill analysis revealed that M451 was the only antifungal agent tested that exhibited antifungal activity within 5 min of exposure. Spore production and germination were also significantly inhibited by M451 treatment. Based on the broad spectrum of antifungal effects across different plant pathogens, M451 could be a new chemical fungicide for plant disease management.