Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities
<i>Aspergillus flavus</i> can produce aflatoxins, posing a threat of contamination to peanuts. To mitigate this issue, the use of biocontrol isolates, which do not produce aflatoxins (AF<sup>−</sup>), has been considered to reduce aflatoxin levels. In this study, we evaluated...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Yanyan Zhang Wanning Wang Chenggui Piao Wenjin Li Peter J. Cotty Shihua Shan Usman Rasheed Quirico Migheli Qing Kong |
| author_facet | Yanyan Zhang Wanning Wang Chenggui Piao Wenjin Li Peter J. Cotty Shihua Shan Usman Rasheed Quirico Migheli Qing Kong |
| author_sort | Yanyan Zhang |
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| description | <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> can produce aflatoxins, posing a threat of contamination to peanuts. To mitigate this issue, the use of biocontrol isolates, which do not produce aflatoxins (AF<sup>−</sup>), has been considered to reduce aflatoxin levels. In this study, we evaluated five different AF<sup>−</sup> isolates belonging to different vegetative compatibility groups, all of which exhibited varying degrees of deletion in aflatoxin biosynthesis gene clusters. One isolate that exhibited poor competitive ability against toxigenic <i>A. flavus</i> was eliminated, and the remaining four isolates were formulated as biocontrol agents and applied to a peanut field in Tai’an, Shandong, as a combination. Three months after application, the soil aflatoxin content was reduced from 0.62 ± 0.01 to 0.19 ± 0.03 μg/kg (inhibition rate: 69.35%). Among filamentous fungi in the soil, the proportion of AF<sup>−</sup> isolates increased from 0% to 4.33%. Using SSR-specific primers, the microbial agents were recovered. We discovered that among the four AF<sup>−</sup> isolates, CA04 had a lower colonization rate compared to the other three (only 12.00% of the total AF<sup>−</sup> population), suggesting that the absence of sclerotia may result in poor reversibility and weaker dispersal ability. We utilized Illumina sequencing to investigate the changes in soil fungal ecology. The results showed a reduction in the population density of harmful fungi, such as <i>Fusarium</i> spp. (66.18%) and <i>Plectosphaerella</i> spp. (79.90%), but an increase in the density of <i>Nothopassalora personata</i>. This is the first study on the dispersal distance and soil fungal community structure following the application of AF<sup>−</sup> agents in peanut fields in China. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-be2fd932a13f4c90b8a36bc7f7488b162025-07-25T13:27:18ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-06-0111749110.3390/jof11070491Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal CommunitiesYanyan Zhang0Wanning Wang1Chenggui Piao2Wenjin Li3Peter J. Cotty4Shihua Shan5Usman Rasheed6Quirico Migheli7Qing Kong8School of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, ChinaTai’an Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tai’an 271018, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, ChinaShandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao 266100, ChinaInstitute of Applied Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, ItalySchool of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China<i>Aspergillus flavus</i> can produce aflatoxins, posing a threat of contamination to peanuts. To mitigate this issue, the use of biocontrol isolates, which do not produce aflatoxins (AF<sup>−</sup>), has been considered to reduce aflatoxin levels. In this study, we evaluated five different AF<sup>−</sup> isolates belonging to different vegetative compatibility groups, all of which exhibited varying degrees of deletion in aflatoxin biosynthesis gene clusters. One isolate that exhibited poor competitive ability against toxigenic <i>A. flavus</i> was eliminated, and the remaining four isolates were formulated as biocontrol agents and applied to a peanut field in Tai’an, Shandong, as a combination. Three months after application, the soil aflatoxin content was reduced from 0.62 ± 0.01 to 0.19 ± 0.03 μg/kg (inhibition rate: 69.35%). Among filamentous fungi in the soil, the proportion of AF<sup>−</sup> isolates increased from 0% to 4.33%. Using SSR-specific primers, the microbial agents were recovered. We discovered that among the four AF<sup>−</sup> isolates, CA04 had a lower colonization rate compared to the other three (only 12.00% of the total AF<sup>−</sup> population), suggesting that the absence of sclerotia may result in poor reversibility and weaker dispersal ability. We utilized Illumina sequencing to investigate the changes in soil fungal ecology. The results showed a reduction in the population density of harmful fungi, such as <i>Fusarium</i> spp. (66.18%) and <i>Plectosphaerella</i> spp. (79.90%), but an increase in the density of <i>Nothopassalora personata</i>. This is the first study on the dispersal distance and soil fungal community structure following the application of AF<sup>−</sup> agents in peanut fields in China.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/7/491aflatoxinatoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i>biological controlsoil fungal community |
| spellingShingle | Yanyan Zhang Wanning Wang Chenggui Piao Wenjin Li Peter J. Cotty Shihua Shan Usman Rasheed Quirico Migheli Qing Kong Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities Journal of Fungi aflatoxin atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> biological control soil fungal community |
| title | Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities |
| title_full | Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities |
| title_short | Exploring the Characteristics of Atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Isolates and Their Biocontrol Impact on Soil Fungal Communities |
| title_sort | exploring the characteristics of atoxigenic i aspergillus flavus i isolates and their biocontrol impact on soil fungal communities |
| topic | aflatoxin atoxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> biological control soil fungal community |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/7/491 |
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