Suppression of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by antifungal substances produced by the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans

A study was conducted to investigate production of antifungal substances (AFS) by Coniothyrium minitans (Cm), a mycoparasite of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Ss), in modified Czapek-Dox (MCD) broth and potato dextrose broth (PDB), and effects of AFS of Cm on mycelial growth and germination of sclerotia and ascospores of Ss and incidence of leaf blight of oilseed rape caused by Ss. Results showed that mycelial growth of Ss was reduced by 41.6 and 84.5% on 3 day-old cultures grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 10% (v v−1) of cultural filtrates of Cm grown in MCD (MCDcm) after incubation for 6 and 15 days, respectively, and by 2.7 and 15.7% on PDA amended with 10% (v v−1) of cultural filtrates of Cm grown in PDB for 6 and 15 days, respectively. In addition to retardation of mycelial growth, morphological abnormality of Ss such as hyphal swellings and cytoplasm granulation were also observed in colonies grown on PDA amended with cultural filtrates of MCDcm. Sclerotia of Ss soaked in the filtrates of MCDcm for 24 h remained viable, but their ability to undergo myceliogenic germination on PDA was delayed, compared to sclerotia treated with MCD. Germination of ascospores of Ss was unaffected on PDA amended with 10% of the filtrates of MCDcm. However, germ tubes of Ss were shortened and deformed by the formation of hyphal swellings in the treatment of MCDcm. Treatment of leaves of oilseed rape with cultural filtrates of MCDcm reduced incidence of leaf blight caused by Ss, compared to the controls (water or MCD). This study suggests that AFS produced by Cm plays an important role in the suppression of mycelial growth and germ-tube development of ascospores of Ss and that there is potential for using AFS of Cm to control leaf blight of oilseed rape caused by ascospores of Ss.