Open Access
Glucosinolates as an effective tool in plant-parasitic nematodes control: exploiting natural plant defenses
(Elsevier, 2022) Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Escobar, Carolina; Velasco, Pablo; Poveda Arias, Jorge; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación
Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are an important damaging biotic agent for numerous crops around the world, causing serious losses directly and indirectly. Cultural and chemical control strategies were mainly used to PPNs management. However, the choice of chemical nematicides is strictly limited in the agrosystems due to their toxicity, their impact to the environment and, therefore, banning policies. The main lines of action of biological control strategies for nematode control, are based on the development of antagonist microorganism formulations and the use of plant extracts with nematicidal potential. There are many plant secondary metabolites with effective nematicidal potential. In this sense, glucosinolates (GSLs) and, especially, glucosinolate hydrolysis products (GHPs) show relevant nematicidal activity. The effects through which these compounds control nematodes, both direct and indirect are diverse, such as toxicity, anti-hatching effect or promotion of competing saprophytic nematodes or nematophagous bacteria populations. The present work compiles many of the studies that describe the use of GSLs and GHPs as nematicides in agriculture, through very diverse strategies that range from crop rotation with Brassicales to the direct application of GSLs and GHPs to the soil. The authors present GSLs and GHPs as a more sustainable and suitable alternative in nematode control, remarking the need to further research in the modes of action and the impact on environment.
Open Access
Combined use of Trichoderma and beneficial bacteria (mainly Bacillus and Pseudomonas): development of microbial synergistic bio-inoculants in sustainable agriculture
(Elsevier, 2022) Poveda Arias, Jorge; Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Agriculture nowadays is facing many challenges, with among the most important to be able to feed the increasing human population through more sustainable and environmentally friendly production. In this context, the use of microorganisms has been extensively studied, both with fungi such as Trichoderma spp. and with bacteria, such as Bacillus spp. or Pseudomonas spp. While inoculation with these microorganisms has a positive effect on crops, their combination offers even greater potential as plant growth promoters and as biocontrol agents, with diverse mechanisms that are thoroughly considered in this review. Synergies between Trichoderma and bacteria cause more benefits than the sum of their parts, and this makes them a promising alternative for managing crops and controlling diseases or pests in modern agriculture. However, more studies are needed to determine the specific mechanisms of this synergistic effect in certain lines of research, since there is extensive data about their use as plant growth promoters or biocontrol agents against diseases and certain pests, but little or no information is available about their use against diseases caused by viruses or the effect on plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.
Open Access
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) biomass as a resource for obtaining glucosinolate extracts to control postharvest fungal diseases
(Springer, 2025-05-27) Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Fernández San Millán, Alicia; Velasco, Pablo; Veramendi Charola, Jon; Rodríguez, Víctor Manuel; Poveda Arias, Jorge; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a crop of great agronomic and economic importance worldwide. Because its edible parts are the inflorescences, large quantities of non-commercial biomass are produced each year in the field and in the food industry. In order to develop a circular economy around the broccoli crop, the present work develops glucosinolates (GSL) extracts with antimicrobial capacity for postharvest use in tomato, apple and table white grape against fungal diseases produced by the pathogens Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata and Penicillium expansum. GSL extracts from organic crop management reported a higher content of GSLs than conventional management. These extracts are not effective in the control of A. alternata and P. expansum, possibly due to the absence of sinigrin. Furthermore, the extracts were ineffective in the control of B. cinerea on table white grapes, possibly due to the non-climacteric fruit condition and an absence in the induction of ethylene-mediated plant defenses. However, intact GSL extracts were effective in controlling B. cinerea on apple, while the addition of myrosinase enzyme caused effectiveness also on tomato and apple. Therefore, obtaining GSL extracts with biopesticidal capacity against B. cinerea in postharvest could be a circular economy strategy for broccoli agriculture and industry.
Embargo
Investigación de glucosinolatos presentes en crucíferas (Brassica) y su potencial aplicación industrial en la obtención de nuevos biocidas
(2024) Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Poveda Arias, Jorge; Caballero Berasategui, Sara; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
El presente trabajo se basa en la obtención de extractos bioactivos de brócoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) con capacidad de inhibición de patógenos en campo, a partir de residuos de cultivo. Además, ya que el proyecto se enmarca en un entorno de colaboración universidad-empresa, se han valorado también la escalabilidad y la reproducibilidad industrial del proceso, estudiando la influencia de diversos factores de la extracción de GSLs que pudieran ser difícilmente adaptados a escala industrial. Este trabajo confirma la viabilidad de la estrategia de aprovechamiento de residuos de brócoli para la obtención de extractos bioactivos en la protección de cultivos frente a diversos patógenos de suelo y aéreos, desde la industrialización del proceso hasta su eficacia en condiciones cercanas a las reales.
Open Access
Estudio del efecto promotor del crecimiento de plantas de diferentes levaduras
(2018) Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Veramendi Charola, Jon; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos; Nekazaritza Ingeniarien Goi Mailako Eskola Teknikoa
La creciente preocupación social por una alimentación libre de residuos químicos, unida a la presión del cambio climático y la contaminación medioambiental, hacen necesaria una búsqueda de herramientas alternativas en la agricultura que aseguren la sostenibilidad y seguridad de la producción. Una de las herramientas con mayor potencial es el uso de microorganismos y sus derivados. En el presente estudio se evaluó el efecto promotor del crecimiento de plantas de una colección de 70 levaduras. Se estudiaron sus efectos in vitro en la mejora del vigor de la planta Nicotiana benthamiana, los efectos inhibidores del crecimiento de los hongos fitopatógenos Fusarium oxysporum, Botrytis cinerea y Verticillium dahliae, y se realizaron ensayos in vivo en invernadero y en hidropónico con plantas de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum). Un total de 18 levaduras promovieron el crecimiento de Nicotiana benthamiana en placa Petri o en placa septada, 1 levadura inhibió el crecimiento; el hongo más susceptible a la inhibición ha sido Verticillium dahliae, con un total de 45 levaduras que inhibieron su crecimiento, frente a 10 levaduras en Fusarium oxysporum y 9 levaduras en Botrytis cinerea. Tan solo una levadura del total de 70 de la colección tuvo un efecto inhibidor en los tres hongos (levadura 32). Ninguna de las dos levaduras ensayadas in vivo promovió el crecimiento de tomate, posiblemente debido a una dosis ineficaz. Los resultados indicaron el potencial de muchas de las levaduras para promover el crecimiento de plantas, y continuar estudiando en mayor profundidad sus mecanismos de acción.
Open Access
Glucosinolate-extracts from residues of conventional and organic cultivated broccoli leaves (brassica oleracea var. italica) as potential industrially-scalable efficient biopesticides against fungi, oomycetes and plant parasitic nematodes
(Elsevier, 2023) Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Velasco, Pablo; Abril Urías, Patricia; Escobar, Carolina; Gómez-Torres, Óscar; Caballero, Sara; Poveda Arias, Jorge; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
This study aimed to standarize a protocol for obtaining a bioactive extract from broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) crop residues, that is suitable for application on an industrial scale and effective in reducing plant disease incidence. For this purpose, the influence of several extraction factors in the glucosinolate (GSL) content was studied with leaves collected from two conventional broccoli fields and two organic broccoli fields. The analysis showed that lyophilization had no influence on the GSL content. Storage of plant material under two different temperatures (− 20ºC and − 80ºC) had no influence on the GSLs content of the extracts. Phytotoxicity of the extracts was studied with six different plant seeds, and also cytotoxicity was determined with human liver cells in vitro. The extracts were phytotoxic at dilutions above 10%, while cell toxicity was low. Extracts concentrations of 0.1%, 1% and 2% were tested in vitro against eight plant pathogenic fungi and two oomycetes in solid and in liquid media. The extracts reduced the growth of several plant pathogenic fungi at 2% dilution by up to 38.37% against Alternaria alternata and up to 46.55% against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. When combined with myrosinase enzyme the effect of the extracts was enhanced, reaching inhibition values of 67.06% against A. alternata in solid medium and 68.52% against Rhizoctonia solani in liquid medium. In contrast, the same extracts increased the growth of the plant pathogenic oomycetes Pythium ultimum and Phytophthora cactorum. The effect of the same extracts in the free leaving larvae, J2s, of the plant-parasitic nematode (PPN) Meloidogyne javanica was not obvious. Minor significant differences were obtained but with no clear dose-response in nematode mortality, and no inhibition of eggs hatching was observed. These results show the industrial potential of using broccoli residues to obtain extracts with biopesticide activity against plant pathogenic fungi.
Open Access
Endophytic fungi as direct plant growth promoters for sustainable agricultural production
(Springer, 2021) Poveda Arias, Jorge; Eugui Arrizabalaga, Daniel; Abril Urías, Patricia; Velasco, Pablo; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Current rates of population growth require the development of new agricultural strategies to feed the world human and livestock. The massive use of agricultural chemicals causes serious damage to the environment, and to human and animal health. For this reason, the use of endophytic fungi represents a biological alternative in increasing agricultural productivity in a sustainable way. This group of microorganisms, which inhabit plant tissues and organs without causing symptoms of damage, includes a great diversity of filamentous fungi and yeasts that are capable of increasing agricultural productivity. Some of the mechanisms involved in promoting plant growth by means of endophytic fungi include the increasing access to nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iron, etc.), production of plant hormones, the ethylene amount reduction, or increase in water acquisition rate. This review tries to compile all the works carried out in the last decades on endophytic fungi use as plant growth promoters with great potential in agriculture.