In: Sydowia 73, (2021): 197-208; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia73-2021-0197, Published online on January 28, 2021

Antagonistic activity and chitinolytic potential of endophytic fungi recovered from cacti growing in the Brazilian tropical dry forest

Aline Gleyce Julião Bomfim, Marília Gomes da Silva Santos1, Jadson Diogo Pereira Bezerra, Laura Mesquita Paiva, João Tiago Correia Oliveira, Cristina Maria de Souza-Motta & Keila Aparecida Moreira


Departamento de Micologia Prof. Chaves Batista, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco-UFPE. Rua Prof. Nelson Chaves,
s/n – Cidade Universitária. CEP: 50670-901. Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Setor de Micologia, Departamento de Biociências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública (IPTSP),
Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Rua 235, s/n, Setor Universitário, CEP: 74605-050. Goiânia, GO, Brazil
Instituto de Estudos do Trópico Úmido, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará – UNIFESSPA, R. Maranhão,
s/n, Centro, CEP: 68555-016. Xinguara, Pará, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Agreste de Pernambuco-UFAPE, Laboratório de Microbiologia, Tecnologia Enzimática
e Bioprodutos. Av. Bom Pastor, s/n. Boa Vista. CEP: 55292-278. Garanhuns, Pernambuco, Brazil
* e-mail: moreirakeila@hotmail.com

Bomfim A.G.J., Santos M.G.S., Bezerra J.D.P., Paiva L.M., Oliveira J.T.C., Souza-Motta C.M. & Moreira K.A. (2020) Antagonistic
activity and chitinolytic potential of endophytic fungi from cacti growing in the Brazilian tropical dry forest. – Sydowia 73:
197–208.
This study aimed to evaluate the antagonistic activity and chitinolytic potential of 20 species of fungal endophytes isolated
from Cactaceae species and deposited at the URM culture collection in Brazil against nine strains of phytopathogenic fungi isolated
from the forage cactus Nopalea cochenillifera. Phytopathogenic fungi were obtained from diseased tissues of N. cochenillifera
and identified through analyses of morphology and DNA sequences of different genes (ITS rDNA, RPB2, and TEF1). The
antagonistic potentials of these endophytes were analysed in terms of inhibition, parasitism and competition, and the enzyme
activity by assay in submerged fermentation using colloidal chitin as a carbon source. Nine phytopathogenic fungi were isolated
and identified as belonging to Alternaria, Curvularia, Fusarium, Neoscytalidium, and Neurospora. Antagonism by inhibition was
the most significant category, with 17 endophytic species having inhibitory potential. Aspergillus tamarii URM 7505 and Penicillium
griseofulvum URM 6846 inhibited all tested pathogenic fungi. Although all 20 endophytic fungal species effectively produced
chitinase (0.20–5.36 U/ml), the highest production level was observed for Aspergillus parasiticus URM 6868 (5.36 U/ml).
Keywords: biocontrol, endophytes, enzymes, chitinase, environmental mycology.