Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)
Abstract Background Wheat (Triticum spp.), the most cultivated species worldwide, is threatened by various stresses. Among these, the biotic stresses caused by phytopathogenic fungi, like Fusarium sporotrichioides, are responsible for food losses and mycotoxins poisoning. The green strategy based on...
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Plant Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07086-5 |
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| author | Antonella Vitti Leonardo Coviello Patrizia Falabella Stefania Mirela Mang Carmen Scieuzo Francesco Iannielli Domenico Ronga Maria Nuzzaci |
| author_facet | Antonella Vitti Leonardo Coviello Patrizia Falabella Stefania Mirela Mang Carmen Scieuzo Francesco Iannielli Domenico Ronga Maria Nuzzaci |
| author_sort | Antonella Vitti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Wheat (Triticum spp.), the most cultivated species worldwide, is threatened by various stresses. Among these, the biotic stresses caused by phytopathogenic fungi, like Fusarium sporotrichioides, are responsible for food losses and mycotoxins poisoning. The green strategy based on recovery and use of frass deriving from Hermetia illucens reared on the standard Gainesville diet was applied, involving durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. var Simeto) seed priming with 10% frass extract, alone or combined with T. afroharzianum T22 (T22), in pot/soil experiment. For this purpose, the agronomic traits, reduction of damping-off due to F. sporotrichioides, and activity of the pool of antioxidant enzymes involved were evaluated. In addition, the presence of microorganisms in the frass extract with possible plant growth promoting and/or protection activity, was searched. Results Seed priming determined enhanced wheat growth performance and, in the meantime, a control of the development of disease symptoms, allowing a reduction of damping-off of almost 40% when frass extract and T22 were used together. This was accompanied by an increased antioxidant activity in seedlings derived from primed seeds, enabling them to face stresses in a proper way. In addition, in order to address which component of frass extract was responsible for these effects, Paenibacillus polymyxa was isolated from frass extract, and tested for its antifungal activity in vitro, resulting effective against F. sporotrichioides and also the phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici and Botrytis cinerea. Conclusions This finding demonstrated that seed priming with frass extract, together with T. afroharzianum T22, could be used as an effective and environmentally friendly strategy to promote wheat growth and, at the same time, effectively control the development of F. sporotrichioides disease. The insights gathered from this research, confirmed the ability of frass to be used in priming technique, opening the door to promising solutions to harness the potential of sustainable agricultural practices and green technologies circular economy-based. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d4a463f81c7d47e1b724b8a540f51e41 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2229 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d4a463f81c7d47e1b724b8a540f51e412025-08-20T04:01:56ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-08-0125111610.1186/s12870-025-07086-5Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)Antonella Vitti0Leonardo Coviello1Patrizia Falabella2Stefania Mirela Mang3Carmen Scieuzo4Francesco Iannielli5Domenico Ronga6Maria Nuzzaci7Department of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of BasilicataDepartment of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of BasilicataDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of BasilicataDepartment of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of BasilicataDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of BasilicataDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of BasilicataPharmacy Department, University of SalernoDepartment of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of BasilicataAbstract Background Wheat (Triticum spp.), the most cultivated species worldwide, is threatened by various stresses. Among these, the biotic stresses caused by phytopathogenic fungi, like Fusarium sporotrichioides, are responsible for food losses and mycotoxins poisoning. The green strategy based on recovery and use of frass deriving from Hermetia illucens reared on the standard Gainesville diet was applied, involving durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. var Simeto) seed priming with 10% frass extract, alone or combined with T. afroharzianum T22 (T22), in pot/soil experiment. For this purpose, the agronomic traits, reduction of damping-off due to F. sporotrichioides, and activity of the pool of antioxidant enzymes involved were evaluated. In addition, the presence of microorganisms in the frass extract with possible plant growth promoting and/or protection activity, was searched. Results Seed priming determined enhanced wheat growth performance and, in the meantime, a control of the development of disease symptoms, allowing a reduction of damping-off of almost 40% when frass extract and T22 were used together. This was accompanied by an increased antioxidant activity in seedlings derived from primed seeds, enabling them to face stresses in a proper way. In addition, in order to address which component of frass extract was responsible for these effects, Paenibacillus polymyxa was isolated from frass extract, and tested for its antifungal activity in vitro, resulting effective against F. sporotrichioides and also the phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici and Botrytis cinerea. Conclusions This finding demonstrated that seed priming with frass extract, together with T. afroharzianum T22, could be used as an effective and environmentally friendly strategy to promote wheat growth and, at the same time, effectively control the development of F. sporotrichioides disease. The insights gathered from this research, confirmed the ability of frass to be used in priming technique, opening the door to promising solutions to harness the potential of sustainable agricultural practices and green technologies circular economy-based.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07086-5Triticum durum Desf. var SimetoTrichoderma afroharzianum strain T22Fusarium sporotrichioidesSeed primingPaenibacillus polymyxaBotrytis cinerea |
| spellingShingle | Antonella Vitti Leonardo Coviello Patrizia Falabella Stefania Mirela Mang Carmen Scieuzo Francesco Iannielli Domenico Ronga Maria Nuzzaci Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) BMC Plant Biology Triticum durum Desf. var Simeto Trichoderma afroharzianum strain T22 Fusarium sporotrichioides Seed priming Paenibacillus polymyxa Botrytis cinerea |
| title | Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) |
| title_full | Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) |
| title_short | Exploring the agronomic traits, antioxidant and antifungal properties of Hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) |
| title_sort | exploring the agronomic traits antioxidant and antifungal properties of hermetia illucens frass extract in durum wheat triticum durum desf |
| topic | Triticum durum Desf. var Simeto Trichoderma afroharzianum strain T22 Fusarium sporotrichioides Seed priming Paenibacillus polymyxa Botrytis cinerea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07086-5 |
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