Cocoa-associated filamentous fungi for the biocontrol of aflatoxigenic
Aspergillus flavus
Abstract
Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin contamination are major threats to global
food security and present an urgent need to secure the global food crop
against spoilage by mycotoxigenic fungi. Cocoa material is noted for
naturally low aflatoxin contamination. This study was designed to assess
the potential for harnessing cocoa-associated filamentous fungi for the
biocontrol of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus. The candidate fungi were
isolated from fermented cocoa beans collected from four cocoa-growing
areas in Ghana. Molecular characterization included ITS-sequencing for
identification and PCR to determine mating type. Effects of the
candidate isolates on growth and aflatoxin-production by an
aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolate (BANGA1) were assessed. Aflatoxin
production was monitored by UV fluorescence and quantified by ELISA.
Thirty-six filamentous fungi were cultured and identified as
Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Lichtheimia or Trichoderma spp. isolates. The
isolates generally interacted negatively with BANGA1 growth and
aflatoxin production. The A. niger and A. aculeatus biocontrol
candidates showed the strongest colony antagonism (54–94%) and
reduction in aflatoxin production (12–50%) on agar. In broth, the A.
niger isolates reduced aflatoxin production by up to 97%. Metabolites
from the A. niger isolates showed the strongest inhibition of growth by
BANGA1 and inhibited aflatoxin production. Four of the candidate
isolates belonged to the MAT1-1 mating type and 12 identified as MAT1-2.
This may be indicative of the potential for genetic recombination events
between fungi in the field, and finding which is particularly relevant
to the risk posed by A. flavus biocontrol measures that rely on
atoxigenic A. flavus strains.