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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Establishing Fungal Entomopathogens as Endophytes: Towards Endophytic Biological Control
Published on: April 11, 2013
Secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus Talaromyces pinophilus
F Vinale1,2, R Nicoletti3,2, F Lacatena2
1a Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante , Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Portici , Italy.
Abstract:
Endophytic fungi have a great influence on plant health and growth, and are an important source of bioactive natural compounds. Organic extracts obtained from the culture filtrate of an endophytic strain of Talaromyces pinophilus isolated from strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) were studied. Metabolomic analysis revealed the presence of three bioactive metabolites, the siderophore ferrirubin, the platelet-aggregation inhibitor herquline B and the antibiotic 3-O-methylfunicone. The latter was the major metabolite produced by this strain and displayed toxic effects against the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Homoptera Aphidiidae). This toxicity represents an additional indication that the widespread endophytic occurrence of T. pinophilus may be related to a possible role in defensive mutualism. Moreover, the toxic activity on aphids could promote further study on 3-O-methylfunicone, or its derivatives, as an alternative to synthetic chemicals in agriculture.
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