ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC) BY AN ENDOPHYTIC FUNGUS, Lasiodiplodia avicenniae P2P4 FROM Avicennia alba AGAINST Fusarium oxysporum

Fusarium oxysporum is a significant phytopathogenic fungus in the agricultural sector which causes a substantial loss to the yield of commercial crops and economical benefits. The fungal species is a primary agent of vascular wilt diseases on various crops that are currently mitigated through the application of synthetic pesticides. The prolonged use of synthetic pesticides may lead to the initiation of microbial resistance to pesticides despite their other detrimental effects on the environment and human health. Biopesticides are safer bioproducts that can be applied to hinder F. oxysporum growth with varying efficacy and mechanism of action. This study deals with the investigation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by an endophytic manglicolous fungus as one of the potential biopesticides to control F. oxysporum. Lasiodiplodia avicenniae P2P4 was isolated from the pneumatophore of Avicennia alba growing in the mangrove forest near Belawan City, North Sumatra, Indonesia, and was tested for its antifungal activity against F. oxysporum using poison food technique. The highest inhibition (>80%) was observed from 1000 ppm treatment with an effective concentration (EC50) value of 888.228 ppm after 7 d of incubation. GC-MS analysis of the EtOAc extract of L. avicenniae P2P4 revealed a mixture of volatile and non-volatile organic compounds (27 in total). Acetic acid, glycerol, and 1,3/2,3-Butanediol were identified as the major portion of compounds in the extract that could be responsible for its antifungal activity against F. oxysporum.