Muscodor albus Strain Producing Volatile Organic Compounds and Methods of Use

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an isolated Muscodor albus strain producing volatile organic compounds such as aristolene, 3-octanone and/or acetic acid ester, as well as cultures of said strain and compositions, metabolites and volatiles derived from said strain or culture as well as methods of obtaining said compositions, metabolites and volatiles and their methods of use for controlling pests. Also disclosed are artificial compositions having the same components and uses as the volatiles derived from the strain. A method for capturing and sampling the volatiles is also disclosed.

1 . A composition comprising a culture of an isolated  Muscodor  strain, wherein the  Muscodor  strain is capable of:
 (a) producing at least one volatile organic compound selected from the group consisting of: 3-octanone, (−) aristolene, and acetic acid ester; and   (b) producing one or more products that possess fungicidal, bactericidal, nematicidal, and insecticidal activity.   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said  Muscodor  strain produces a product that has at least about 1.5 fold more inhibitory effect on  Fusarium  growth than  Muscodor albus  strain CZ 620 (NRRL Accession No. B-30547). 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 2 , wherein said  Muscodor  strain produces a product that has at least about 4 fold more of an effect on mortality on  Meloidogyne incognita  and  hapla  than  Muscodor albus  strain CZ 620 (NRRL Accession No. B-30547). 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the culture is a substantially pure culture or whole cell broth. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a solid composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said  Muscodor  strain is  Muscodor albus  strain SA-13 (NRRL Accession No. B-50774). 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one of a carrier, diluent, surfactant, and adjuvant.   
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second substance, wherein said second substance is a chemical or biological pesticide. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the isolated  Muscodor  strain is further capable of producing at least one of Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester and Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester. 
     
     
         10 . A composition having pesticidal activity comprising:
 Ethanol;   Propanol;   2-Butanone, 4-hydroxy-;   Ethyl Acetate;   Propanoic acid, ethyl ester;   1-Butanol, 3-methyl-;   1-Butanol, 2-methyl-;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester;   Butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester;   Butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, butyl ester;   1-Butanol, 3-methyl-, acetate;   Ethyl tiglate;   Phenylethyl Alcohol; and   Azulene, 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)-, [1S-(1.alpha.,7.alpha.,8a.beta.)]-;   
       at least one of: Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester; Acetic acid, 2-methylpropyl ester; 1-Butanol, 2-methyl-, acetate; Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, butyl ester; Benzene, methoxy-; 3-Octanone; Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 3-methylbutyl ester; Acetic acid, 2-phenylethyl ester; (−) Aristolene; Cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2,4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-; Azulene, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)-, (1S-(1.alpha.,4.alpha.,7.alpha.)]-; and Bicyclo[5.3.0]decane, 2-methylene-5-(1-methylvinyl)-8-methyl-; 
       and optionally at least one of a carrier, diluent, surfactant, and adjuvant. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 10 , wherein said composition comprises
 Ethanol;   Propanol;   2-Butanone, 4-hydroxy-;   Ethyl Acetate;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester;   Propanoic acid, ethyl ester;   1-Butanol, 3-methyl-;   1-Butanol, 2-methyl-;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester;   Acetic acid, 2-methylpropyl ester;   Butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester;   Butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, butyl ester;   1-Butanol, 3-methyl-, acetate;   1-Butanol, 2-methyl-, acetate;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, butyl ester;   Benzene, methoxy-;   Ethyl tiglate;   3-Octanone;   Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 3-methylbutyl ester;   Phenylethyl Alcohol;   Acetic acid, 2-phenylethyl ester;   (−)Aristolene;   Cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2,4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-;   Azulene, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)-, (1S-(1.alpha.,4.alpha.,7.alpha.)]-;   Bicyclo[5.3.0]decane, 2-methylene-5-(1-methylvinyl)-8-methyl-; and,   Azulene, 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)-, [1S-(1.alpha.,7.alpha.,8a.beta.)]-.   
     
     
         12 . A method for modulating pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection in a plant in need thereof comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A method for modulating pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection in a plant in need thereof comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an effective amount of the composition of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said pest is an insect pest, fungus, bacteria, or nematode. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said pest is an insect pest, wherein said insect pest is  Spodoptera exigua.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said pest is a nematode, wherein said nematode is  M. incognita  or  M. hapla.    
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said phytopathogenic infection results from fungus infection, wherein said fungus is a member of the  Botrytis  spp.,  Sclerotinia  spp.,  Sclerotium  spp.,  Macrophomina  spp.,  Verticillium  spp.,  Fusarium  spp.,  Rhizoctonia  spp., or  Pythium  spp. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said phytopathogenic infection results from bacterial infection, wherein said bacteria is a member of the  Pectobacterium  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Xanthomas  spp., or  Calvibacter  spp. 
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An artificial mixture having fungicidal and nematicidal activity, the mixture comprising: ethanol; ethyl acetate; 1-Propanol, 2-methyl; 1-Butanol, 3-methyl; 1-Butanol, 2-methyl; and, at least one of: Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester and Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester and optionally at least one of a carrier, diluent, surfactant, and adjuvant. 
     
     
         24 . The artificial mixture of  claim 23 , wherein the mixture comprises: ethanol; ethyl acetate; 1-Propanol, 2-methyl; Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester; 1-Butanol, 3-methyl; 1-Butanol, 2-methyl; and Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, ethyl ester, and optionally at least one of a carrier, diluent, surfactant, and adjuvant. 
     
     
         25 . A method for modulating pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection in a plant in need thereof comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an amount of the artificial mixture of  claim 17  effective to modulate pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection. 
     
     
         26 . A method for modulating pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection in a plant in need thereof comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an amount of the artificial mixture of  claim 23  effective to modulate pest infestation and/or phytopathogenic infection. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the solid composition is a dried grain grown with the culture of the  Muscodor  strain. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 27 , wherein the dried grain is selected from barley, corn, rye, rice, and wheat. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the culture is a solid culture.