The effects of the secondary metabolites of the citrus endophytic fungus Nemania sp. LJZ-Y-11 on the citrus canker disease-causing pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.

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Citrus Endophytic Fungus Nemania sp. LJZ-Y-11 Shows Strong Natural Defense Against Citrus Canker

Aneknowledge October 27, 2025No Comments

A team of scientists from Guangxi Normal University has unveiled a promising natural weapon against citrus canker — a devastating disease caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc). Their open-access study in BMC Microbiology (2025) explores the antibacterial potential of secondary metabolites produced by the citrus endophytic fungus Nemania sp. LJZ-Y-11.

The researchers tested extracts obtained with solvents of varying polarities and found that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity, effectively inhibiting Xcc at remarkably low concentrations (MIC = 0.3125 mg/mL). Through advanced spectroscopic analysis, five compounds were isolated — including chrysogeside D, 2-pyruvoylaminobenzamide, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde — but one compound stood out: (2S,5R)-2-ethyl-5-methylhexanedioic acid.

This compound showed the strongest inhibition of Xcc growth (MIC = 0.125 mg/mL, MBC = 0.25 mg/mL) and significantly reduced or completely prevented canker lesion formation on citrus leaves in vivo. The antibacterial effects were dose-dependent, disrupting bacterial cell morphology under scanning electron microscopy.

The findings suggest that Nemania sp. LJZ-Y-11 produces metabolites capable of suppressing citrus canker pathogens almost as effectively as copper hydroxide, the current industry standard, but without the environmental drawbacks of heavy-metal residues. The study encourages further field-scale testing to develop bio-based citrus protection strategies.

Reference

Chen, X., Li, Q., Yao, J., Huang, L., Lu, R., Deng, Z., Luo, H., Deng, Y., & Xu, X. (2025). The effects of the secondary metabolites of the citrus endophytic fungus Nemania sp. LJZ-Y-11 on the citrus canker disease-causing pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. BMC Microbiology, 25(1), 670. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04403-8

Last updated on October 27, 2025

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