Streptomyces flaveus as a potential biocontrol agent due to its ability to degrade fungal biomass and colloidal chitin

Abstract

Crop plant diseases caused by oomycetes and fungi have caused a lot of environmental, economic, and health damage to mankind. Streptomyces flaveus has been known to be able to suppress the growth of many oomycetes and fungal plant pathogens due to its ability to produce SW-B, an antibiotic. However, this antibiotic was reported not to be active enough to suppress the growth of a number of other fungal plant pathogens. In this paper, we demonstrate that S. flaveus RT1-1 was able to degrade fungal biomass and colloidal chitin due to producing chitinases. This promotes the potential of S. flaveus RT1-1 as a biocontrol agent that could help in achieving many sustainable development goals, to the benefit of mankind.

Keywords

• streptomyces flaveus
• chitinase
• antifungal
• neoscytalidium dimidiatum
• colletotrichum truncatum