Abstract
Abstract Background Contamination of stored wheat grains by Aspergillus flavus poses serious food safety risks due to aflatoxin production. This study aimed to identify and evaluate wheat-associated bacterial isolates for their potential to biologically control A. flavus . Two promising strains, Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1, were selected based on a strong antifungal activity against A. flavus , on dual culture assays. Results Dual-culture and co-cultivation assays confirmed that both strains significantly inhibited A. flavus mycelial growth and sporulation. Additionally, both strains exhibited facultative mycophagy, utilizing fungal biomass under nutrient-limited conditions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by these bacteria suppressed fungal growth in vitro and on wheat grains without direct contact. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) profiling revealed that Bacillus sp. B3 primarily emitted nitrogenous and oxime-related compounds, while Bacillus sp. Mn1 produced diverse volatiles including fatty acids, hydrazine derivatives, and trigonelline. Both strains significantly reduced fungal colonization on treated grains. The strains were characterized through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, alongside biochemical and enzymatic profiling, to aid taxonomic placement and provide insight into their functional potential. Conclusion Bacillus sp. B3 and Mn1 demonstrated robust antifungal potential through multiple antagonistic mechanisms including diffusible metabolites, mycophagy, and VOC-mediated inhibition. These findings support their use as sustainable, residue-free biocontrol agents to mitigate A. flavus contamination and enhance the safety of stored wheat.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Both Bacillus strains significantly inhibited A. flavus mycelial growth and sporulation in dual culture and co-cultivation.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1e2
- Interactor
- A. flavus
Aspergillus flavuse1pathogen - Second interactor
- Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1Bacillus sp. B3Bacillus sp. MN1e2biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- A. flavus mycelial growth and sporulatione1
- Direction
- inhibitede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e1“Dual-culture and co-cultivation assays confirmed that both strains significantly inhibited A. flavus mycelial growth and sporulation”
e2“Two promising strains, Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1”
Claim · model-written summary
Both strains significantly reduced fungal colonization on treated wheat grains.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1e2
- Interactor
- Aspergillus flavusAspergillus flavuse0pathogen
- Second interactor
- Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1Bacillus sp. B3Bacillus sp. MN1e2biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- fungal colonizatione6
- Direction
- reducede6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e0“Contamination of stored wheat grains by Aspergillus flavus”
e2“Two promising strains, Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1”
e6“Both strains significantly reduced fungal colonization on treated grains”
Claim · model-written summary
VOCs produced by the two Bacillus strains suppressed fungal growth in vitro and on wheat grains without direct contact.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)e3
- Interactor
- Aspergillus flavusAspergillus flavuse0pathogen
- Second interactor
- Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1Bacillus sp. B3Bacillus sp. MN1e2biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- fungal growthe3
- Direction
- suppressede3
- Setting
- in vitro and on wheat grainse3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e0“Contamination of stored wheat grains by Aspergillus flavus”
e2“Two promising strains, Bacillus sp. B3 and Bacillus sp. Mn1”
e3“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by these bacteria suppressed fungal growth in vitro and on wheat grains without direct contact”
Claim · model-written summary
Bacillus sp. B3 primarily emitted nitrogenous and oxime-related compounds.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- Bacillus sp. B3e4
- Outcome
- emitted nitrogenous and oxime-related compoundse4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e4“Bacillus sp. B3 primarily emitted nitrogenous and oxime-related compounds”
Claim · model-written summary
Bacillus sp. Mn1 produced diverse volatiles including fatty acids, hydrazine derivatives and trigonelline.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- Bacillus sp. Mn1e5
- Outcome
- diverse volatilese5
- Qualifier
- fatty acids, hydrazine derivatives, and trigonellinee5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e5“Bacillus sp. Mn1 produced diverse volatiles including fatty acids, hydrazine derivatives, and trigonelline”
Claim · model-written summary
Both strains exhibited facultative mycophagy, using fungal biomass under nutrient-limited conditions.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- facultative mycophagye7
- Qualifier
- utilizing fungal biomass under nutrient-limited conditionse7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e7“Both strains exhibited facultative mycophagy, utilizing fungal biomass under nutrient-limited conditions”
Claim · model-written summary
The two Bacillus strains show robust antifungal potential explained by multiple antagonistic mechanisms.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- antifungal potentiale1
- Qualifier
- diffusible metabolites, mycophagy, and VOC-mediated inhibitione1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Biocontrol of Aspergillus flavus in stored wheat”
e1“Bacillus sp. B3 and Mn1 demonstrated robust antifungal potential through multiple antagonistic mechanisms including diffusible metabolites, mycophagy, and VOC-mediated inhibition”