Browsing by Author "Thambugala, K.M."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Fungi vs. Fungi in Biocontrol: An Overview of Fungal Antagonists Applied Against Fungal Plant Pathogens
(Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiology, 2020) Thambugala, K.M.; Daranagama, D.A.; Phillips, A.J.L.; Kannangara, S.D.; Promputtha, I.
Plant pathogens cause severe losses or damage to crops worldwide and thereby significantly reduce the quality and quantity of agricultural commodities. World tendencies are shifting towards reducing the usage of chemically synthesized pesticides, while various biocontrol methods, strategies and approaches are being used in plant disease management. Fungal antagonists play a significant role in controlling plant pathogens and diseases and they are used as Biocontrol Agents (BCAs) throughout the world. This review provides a comprehensive list of fungal BCAs used against fungal plant pathogens according to modern taxonomic concepts, and clarifies their phylogenetic relationships because thewrong names are frequently used in the literature of biocontrol. Details of approximately 300 fungal antagonists belonging to 13 classes and 113 genera are listed together with the target pathogens and corresponding plant diseases. Trichoderma is identified as the genus with greatest potential comprising 25 biocontrol agents that have been used against a number of plant fungal diseases. In addition to Trichoderma, nine genera are recognized as significant comprising five or more known antagonistic species, namely, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Candida, Fusarium, Penicillium, Pichia, Pythium, Talaromyces, and Verticillium. A phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU) of fungal antagonists was performed to establish their phylogenetic relationships.
Seaweed-associated fungal endophytes from southern Sri Lanka and their biocontrol potential against selected fungal phytopathogens
(Maximum Academic Press, 2025) Abeygunawardane, S.; Thambugala, K.M.; Kumara, W.; Daranagama, D.
Fungal endophytes are an endosymbiotic group of fungi that live asymptomatically in healthy tissues of plants and macroalgae. Due to their ability to produce bioactive compounds with potential antifungal properties, fungal endophytes that inhabit seaweed have gained significant attention in the search for sustainable biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. The present study is aimed at identifying fungal endophytes that reside inside seaweeds found in the coastal waters of Southern Province, Sri Lanka, and investigating their biocontrol potential against two fungal phytopathogens; Neopestalotiopsis cubana (Sporocadaceae, Amphisphaeriales) and Colletotrichum siamense (Glomerellaceae, Glomerellales). This is the first study to discover fungal endophytes associated with seaweeds found in the waters of Sri Lanka. Eight fungal endophytic strains were isolated from seaweeds; Padina antillarum (Dictyotaceae), Sargassum ilicifolium (Sargassacea), and Ulva lactuca (Ulvophyceae), found in Thalpe, Madiha, and Koggala beaches. Based on ITS-rDNA sequence analyses, they were preliminarily identified as four distinct endophytic fungal species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Isolated fungal endophytes were tested for their biocontrol potential against two selected fungal pathogens using a dual culture assay. Percent growth inhibition (PI) of the test pathogens was calculated. Among the isolated fungal endophytes, Aspergillus sp. GMBUCC 24–013 showed the strongest antagonistic activity against both C. siamense UKCC 24-012 and N. cubana GMBUCC 24–001 closely followed by Aspergillus sp. GMBUCC 24–007, GMBUCC 24–008, GMBUCC 24–009, and GMBUCC 24–012. Aspergillus sp. GMBUCC 24–006 exhibited the least biocontrol potential against both phytopathogens, while Penicillium sp. GMBUCC 24–010, and GMBUCC 24–011 showed moderate activity.