Antifungal activity of chaetoviridin A from Chaetomium globosum CEF-082 metabolites against Verticillium dahliae in cotton.

Cotton Verticillium Wilt (CVW) is a serious soil-borne disease caused by the pathogen Verticillium dahliae and has a great impact on cotton production. Previous studies found that the biocontrol agent Chaetomium globosum CEF-082 and its metabolic filtrate could reduce the incidence of CVW, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, CEF-082 inhibited not only the growth of V. dahliae but also that of Sclerotium rolfsii. The metabolic crude extract of CEF-082 increased the sensitivity of V. dahliae to stress, degraded the cell wall of V. dahliae and increased the emergence and plant height of cotton. Through the separation and purification of the metabolic crude extract of CEF-082, chaetoviridin A was identified and found to be highly active against V. dahliae. The compound caused cell necrosis and mycelial deformation, increased the production of ROS and NO, and inhibited the germination of microsclerotia of V. dahliae, enhancing the cotton plant defence response. In addition, CEF-082 also colonized cotton plants.