Neohydroxyaspergillic acid

In the current study, an ethyl acetate extract from the endophytic fungusAspergillussp. SPH2 isolated from the stem parts of the endemic plantBethencourtia palmensiswas screened for its biocontrol properties against plant pathogens (Fusarium moniliforme,Alternaria alternata,andBotrytis cinerea), insect pests (Spodoptera littoralis,Myzus persicae,Rhopalosiphum padi), plant parasites (Meloidogyne javanica), and ticks (Hyalomma lusitanicum). SPH2 gave extracts with strong fungicidal and ixodicidal effects at different fermentation times. The bioguided isolation of these extracts gave compounds1-3. Mellein (1) showed strong ixodicidal effects and was also fungicidal. This is the first report on the ixodicidal effects of1. Neoaspergillic acid (2) showed potent antifungal effects. Compound2appeared during the exponential phase of the fungal growth while neohydroxyaspergillic acid (3) appeared during the stationary phase, suggesting that2is the biosynthetic precursor of3. The mycotoxin ochratoxin A was not detected under the fermentation conditions used in this work. Therefore, SPH2 could be a potential biotechnological tool for the production of ixodicidal extracts rich in mellein.