Antifungal Penicillium Strains, Fungicidal Extrolites Thereof, and Their Use

Abstract

The present invention relates to fungal strains, which are a member of the genus Penicillium and have antifungal activity, and to cell-free extracts of said strains, culture media obtainable by culturing said strains and extrolites produced by said strains, all of which have fungicidal activity. The present invention further relates to compositions comprising said strains, extracts, culture media and extrolites, and their uses in the agrochemical field and the field of controlling phytopathogenic fungi in particular.

1 . A  Penicillium  strain selected from the group consisting of:
 a. strain IBWF104-06 as deposited with DSMZ under the deposit number DSM 27859; and   b. strains having at least one identifying characteristic of said strain IBWF104-06.   
     
     
         2 . The  Penicillium  strain of  claim 1 , which is capable of producing one or more of the following tanzawaic acids: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof. 
       
     
     
         3 . The strain of  claim 1 , which is a  Penicillium steckii  strain. 
     
     
         4 . The strain of  claim 3 , wherein the strain comprises an ITS sequence which is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         5 . The strain of  claim 1 , which has antifungal activity. 
     
     
         6 . The strain of  claim 5 , which is active against a fungus selected from the group consisting of  Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea  and  Phytophthora infestans.    
     
     
         7 . A method of preparing the tanzawaic acid or salt of  claim 1 , which method comprises culturing a  penicillium  strain selected from the group consisting of:
 a. strain IBWF104-06 as deposited with DSMZ under the deposit number DSM 27859; and   b. strains having at least one identifying characteristic of said strain IBWF104-06.    and recovering said tanzawaic acid or salt from the culture broth.   
     
     
         8 . A composition comprising the strain of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8  further comprising a pesticide. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the pesticide is a biopesticide. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling, suppressing plant pathogens or preventing plant pathogen infection, wherein the pathogens, their habitat or the materials or plants to be protected against pathogen attack, or the soil or propagation material are treated with an effective amount of the strain of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pathogens are selected from harmful fungi. 
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling, suppressing plant pathogens or preventing plant pathogen infection, wherein the pathogens, their habitat or the materials or plants to be protected against pathogen attack, or the soil or propagation material are treated with an effective amount of the composition of  claim 8 .