Extraction and Identification of Aziridine Derivatives in VOCs from <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>: Impact on Plant Pathogens

Abstract

Pleurotus ostreatus has potent antimicrobial properties. In this study, bioactive compounds were extracted from P. ostreatus and screened against bacterial and fungal phytopathogens. In terms of the antibacterial activity, the n-hexane extract of P. ostreatuse exhibited a significant inhibition zone of 88.55 mm against Xanthomonas axonopodis, while the highest antifungal activity of 83% was against Fusarium oxysporum. It was observed that the highest level of concentrations, i.e., 25 mg mL−1, caused a 76, 82, 82, 83, and 60% decrease in fungal biomass over the control against the fungal strains, i.e., A. alternata, A. flavus, D. australiensis, F. oxysporum and M. phaseolina, respectively. GC-MS analysis was performed on the n-hexane extract depicting the presence of 26 compounds. A compound identified as Toluene (Molecular weight = 92) exhibited a peak area of 91% followed by another compound named Cyclopentane, methyl- (Molecular weight = 84) showing a peak area of 56%. A well-known antimicrobial compound Aziridine (Mol. Weight = 99) was identified and showed a maximum hit of 84%, with a peak area of 56%. P. ostreatus could be a potent biocontrol antagonist against the plant pathogens.

Keywords

• <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>
• Aziridine
• antibacterial
• antifungal