Antarctic soil fungi: production of bioactive secondary metabolites against Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri

Abstract

The citrus canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, is a disease that attacks all species and varieties of commercially important citrus. The Brazil as one of the world's leading producers of orange and have a favorable climate for the development of bacteria suffer significant economic losses because of citrus canker. Currently, the control of the disease includes the use of spraying of trees with antibacterial compounds containing copper and eradication of infected plants. However, these measures cause a great loss of quantity of trees and environmental impact due to accumulation of copper in the environment. Thus, it becomes necessary to search for ways to combat organic citrus canker. In this context, secondary metabolites has aroused great interest as alternatives to chemicals, presenting, in many studies, great potential for application in pest control in agriculture. It is suspected that as yet unknown secondary metabolites can be produced by fungi that live in extreme environments such as Antarctica. This project aims to investigate the potential activity of secondary metabolites produced by fungi isolated from soil samples under iron on Deception Island in Antarctica, the bacterium Xanthomonas citri against subsp. citri, which causes citrus canker in citrus fruits.