Young-Keun Yi

Control Effects of Benzylideneacetone Isolated from Xenorabdus nematophilla K1 on the Diseases of Redpepper Plants

A monoterpenoid benzylideneacetone (BZA) is a bacterial metabolite isolated from culture broth of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila K1. It was tested in this study the control efficacy of the metabolite against two major fungal diseases occurring in red-pepper plants. BZA exhibited significant antifungal activities against Phytophthora capsici and Colletotrichum acutatum. Under natural light conditions, the antifungal activity of BZA was maintained for more than sixty days. The antifungal activity of BZA was not lost even in soil because the incidence of Phytophthora blight against red-pepper plants was significantly reduced when the suspensions of P. capsici were poured to the rhizosphere soils mixed with BZA. Application of the BZA suspension spray to the fruit surface infected with C. acutatum significantly suppressed the disease occurrence of anthracnose on the red-pepper plants. These results suggest that BZA can be used to develop a promising agrochemical to control phytophthora blight and anthracnose of redpepper plants.

Control Effects of Indole Isolated from Xenorhabdus nematophila K1 on the Diseases of Red Pepper

Indole compound is a bacterial metabolite synthesized and released by an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila K1. The antibiotic activity was evaluated against plant pathogens, such as Phytophthora blight and anthracnose of red pepper. Indole significantly suppressed mycelial growth of Phytophthora blight and anthracnose pathogens. Under natural sunlight conditions, indole maintained the antifungal activity for at least sixty days. The activity was not affected under the condition of soil-water. When the indole suspension was applied to surface soil before transplanting of red pepper seedlings and was then regularly sprayed to the foliage of the plants with ten days interval, it resulted in significant reduction of the disease occurrences (Phytophthora blight, anthracnose, soft rot, and black mold) by about 30%. These results suggest that indole can be used to control Phytophthora blight and anthracnose of red pepper.

Structure-activity Analysis of Benzylideneacetone for Effective Control of Plant Pests

Benzylideneacetone (BZA) is a compound derived from culture broth of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn). Its immunosuppressive activity is caused by its inhibitory activity against eicosanoid biosynthesis. This BZA is being developed as an additive to enhance control efficacy of other commercial microbial insecticides. This study was focused on the enhancement of the immunosuppressive activity of BZA by generating its chemical derivatives toward decrease of its hydrophobicity. Two hydroxylated BZA and one sugar-conjugated BZA were chemically synthesized. All derivatives had the inhibitory activities of BZA against phospholipase () and phenoloxidase (PO) of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, but BZA was the most potent. Mixtures of any BZA derivative with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) significantly increased pathogenicity of Bt. BZA also inhibited colony growth of four plant pathogenic fungi. However, BZA derivatives (especially the sugar-conjugated BZA) lost the antifungal activity. These results indicated that BZA and its derivatives inhibited catalytic activities of two immune-associated enzymes ( and PO) of P. xylostella and enhanced Bt pathogenicity. We suggest its use to control plant pathogenic fungi.

Control Effects of 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-propionic Acid Isolated Xenorhabdus nematophila K1 against Phytophthora Blight and Anthracnose of Red Pepper

3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid (HPP) is a bacterial metabolite synthesized and released by an entomopathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila K1. In this study, the control efficacy of HPP was tested against Phytophthora blight and anthracnose of red pepper plants. HPP suppressed mycelial growth of Phytophthora blight and anthracnose pathogens. Under natural sunlight condition, HPP maintained the antifungal activity on the diseases for at least twenty five days. The antifungal activity was not decreased even in the condition of soil-water. It was proved that HPP was able to penetrate the roots and travel upward of the red pepper plants. When HPP suspension was applied to soil rhizosphere before transplanting the red pepper seedlings or was regularly sprayed to the foliage of the plants with ten days interval, it resulted in significant reduction of the disease occurrences (Phytophthora blight and anthracnose) without any phytotoxicity. These results suggested that HPP can be developed to a systemic agrochemical against Phytophthora blight and anthracnose of red pepper plants.

Comparative Analysis of Benzylideneacetone-derived Compounds on Insect Immunosuppressive and Antimicrobial Activities

Benzylinedeneacetone (BZA) is a bacterial metabolite which is synthesized by at least two entomopathogenic bacteria, namely Xenorhabdus nematophila and Photorhabdus temperata subsp. temperata. It has been shown to possess inhibitory effects on insect cellular and humoral immune responses as well as antimicrobial activities against various species of bacteria and fungi. However, its relatively high phytotoxicity, and nonsystematic effect have thus far prevented its development into an optimal pesticide. This study screened five different BZA derivatives in order to select an optimal compound, which would have relatively high solubility and low phytotoxicity while retaining sufficient degrees of the immunosuppressive and antimicrobial activities associated with BZA. Hydroxylation of the benzene ring of BZA was found to significantly suppress its immunosuppressive and antimicrobial activities. Transformation of the ketone of BZA by carboxylation also suppressed the inhibitory activities. However, a shortening of the aliphatic chain of BZA into acetate form (4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid: HPA) did not decrease the inhibitory activity. HPA also showed much less phytotoxicity against the hot pepper plant Capsicum annuum, when compared to BZA. This study identified an optimal BZA derivative, which exhibited relatively little phytotoxicity, but retained a high degree of inhibitory activity to suppress insect immune responses and antimicrobial activities against plant pathogens.