Everything seems to indicate that the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) has already released the nopal, as now it has reported that it is developing a compound to combat fungi in corn.
According to the IPN academic, Eduardo Maldonado Mendoza, who heads the research, the compound for corn It is made from bacteria.
He indicated that the purpose of this compound prepared by the IPN is combat the fungus Fusarium verticillioideswhich decomposes the corn, in addition to representing a health risk to the be linked to a serious illness.
IPN forgets about the nopal and focuses on bacteria to seek to eliminate fungi in corn
The IPN revealed that a group of its academics from the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Regional Integral Development (STRENGTH), of the unit Sinaloais developing a compound against fungi in corn.
And after leaving cactus-based products behind, IPN specialists would now be turning to bacteria for their new advances.
For this research, Eduardo Maldonado Mendoza shared that the fungus Fusarium verticillioides causes starts to rot the root, stem and ear of corn.
In addition, he added that this fungus is responsible for the loss of between 70 and 80% of the corn harvest in the state of Sinaloa.
For this reason, Maldonado Mendoza reiterated that this compound, made from bacteria, They aim to protect corn of the effects of this fungus.
Paul Alan Baezassociate research scholar, pointed out that for this work More than 11,520 microorganisms were evaluated that were detected in the rhizosphere zone of corn, that is, in the soil area closest to the root.
These were analyzed using a detection system in plates of 96 wellsof which at least 622 were obtained as potential combatants of Fusarium verticilloides.
Through this same process, the specialists discarded bacteria until they found that three of them manage to protect corn of the fungus Fusarium verticilloides.
The specialists detailed that it is bacteria:
- Bacillus megaterium B5
- Bacillus cereus B25
- Bacillus subtilis B35
Corn (Cuartoscuro / Secretariats of State)
IPN finds bacteria that manages to counteract the formation of fungi in corn
The IPN specialists indicated that the Bacillus cereus B25 bacteria was the one that has managed to show the best results against the Fusarium verticilloides.
For this reason, they indicated that they carried out a process to sequence the genome of Bacillus cereus and confront it directly with the fungus that rots corn.
The results obtained after various tests by IPN academics were successful, as they demonstrated that this bacteria prevents the development of Fusarium verticilloides.
They detailed that Bacillus cereus manages to deteriorate the cell wall of the fungus, creating a membrane that encapsulates the fungusat the same time manages to produce an antibiotic that fights their cell membranes.
As a final test a powder was made based on Bacillus cereus spores, which can be placed in corn to protect crops.
Eduardo Maldonado Mendoza and Paul Alan Baez They reiterated the importance of this finding, as it will not only serve to save producers’ crops, but also safeguard the health of consumers.
This after explaining that the fungus Fusarium verticilloides is linked to the production of a mycotoxin related to esophageal canceras well as equine leukoencephalomalacia and porcine pulmonary edema.
Corn (Courtesy)