Volatile Organic Compounds Produced by Co-Culture of B418 with T11-W Exhibits Improved Antagonistic Activities against Fungal Phytopathogens.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in the biocontrol activity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by microorganisms. This study specifically focuses on the effects of VOCs produced by the co-culture of B418 and T11-W for the control of two phytopathogenic fungi, and f. sp. Owen. The antagonistic activity of VOCs released in mono- and co-culture modes was evaluated by inhibition assays on a Petri dish and in detached fruit experiments, with the co-culture demonstrating significantly higher inhibitory effects on the phytopathogens on both the plates and fruits compared with the mono-cultures. Metabolomic profiles of VOCs were conducted using the solid-liquid microextraction technique, revealing 341 compounds with significant changes in their production during the co-culture. Among these compounds, linalool, dimethyl trisulfide, dimethyl disulfide, geranylacetone, 2-phenylethanol, and acetophenone were identified as having strong antagonistic activity through a standard inhibition assay. These key compounds were found to be related to the improved inhibitory effect of the B418 and T11-W co-culture. Overall, the results suggest that VOCs produced by the co-culture of B418 and T11-W possess great potential in biological control.