'Green' fungicides

Using a less-punched punching / punching strategy in the battle between pathogenic fungi and plants, scientists in Canada reported the development of a 'green' fungicide that could provide a prize. France is safer, and more environmentally friendly.

They reported on the fungicide taking advantage of this special defense strategy on March 23 in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the 237th US National Medical Association meeting.

Developed for the benefit of agriculture, a new fungicide - called 'paldoxins' - can still perform the usual functions of fungicides, helping protect corn, wheat and other crops. . These crops are increasingly used not only for food and for biofuel production. The new fungicide also helps solve the problem of drug resistance of plants.

Most fungicides today are produced based on chemicals that can kill beneficial organisms and are often not good for the environment. New materials are more carefully selected, preventing fungi from causing disease to plants without harming other organisms. This drug works in a special way, disrupting the important chemical signal pathway that the fungus uses to break down the plant's defense system. Therefore, plants can strengthen natural defense systems and overcome fungal attacks without harming humans and the environment.

The research leader, Dr Soledade Pedras, a professor of chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, said: 'Common fungicides kill immediately. And our products only attack mushrooms when they attack plants. And for that reason, this type of product is much safer. ' Researchers have long known that many plants have a defense mechanism that includes the production of natural chemicals, called phytoalexins, to destroy pathogenic fungi. However, the fungus can attack in reverse. It secretes enzymes that reduce or destroy phytoalexin, making plants vulnerable.

Canadian scientists report the development of a 'green' fungicide that can provide a safer and more environmentally friendly solution. (Photo: Canadian Canola Council)

To take advantage of the 'punch-punching' strategy , Pedras and colleagues proposed the development of a new antifungal drug that could lock down the killing of fungal phytoalexin. They named this drug paldoxin, short for the inhibitor of destroying phytoalexin.

Pedras discovered this drug after analyzing broccoli, cauliflower, mustard and other crops. They discovered the strongest phytoalexin in a flower called camelina. In experiments, camelina phytoalexin can block the reduced enzyme by many fungal species.

Pedras said: 'We found that many fungi cannot resist this chemical. So we use it to design a synthetic version, even more powerful than the original version '.

Researchers have developed six types of paldonxins, which are enzyme inhibitors of fungi. Researchers have successfully tested synthetic laboratory paldoxins on a number of plants, including mustard, and rapeseed. Pedras' team plans to continue experimenting with new antifungal drugs on other crops. In the future, a similar strategy will be applied to grass plants such as wheat, rye, and oats. These herbaceous plants are more difficult to protect than broccoli and other crops.

If research continues to show promise, paldoxins will be introduced to the market quickly, within a few years. New fungicides can be used as conventional pesticides.

The Canadian Natural Science Council and the University of Saskatchewan funded the research