Chilcuague contre les champignons agricoles : une alternative naturelle aux fongicides ?

 Chilcuague against agricultural fungi:

A natural alternative to fungicides?

Source: Ramírez-Chávez et al., 2000. Agrociencia 34(2): 207–215
Read full article:

In this pioneering study, Mexican scientists evaluated the fungicidal effect of the raw extract from chilcuague root (Heliopsis longipes) and its main active compound, afinine, against two phytopathogenic fungi: Sclerotium cepivorum and S. rolfsii. These fungi affect important crops such as garlic, onion, and tomato.

🔬 What did they find?

• At concentrations of 25 µg/mL, fungal growth was completely inhibited.

• The extract and afinine reduced the levels of essential fatty acids and ergosterol in the fungus, altering its cell membrane.

• Afinin showed comparable potency to the full extract, but the latter seems to benefit from other compounds acting synergistically.

🌱 Why does it matter?

Synthetic fungicides are expensive, polluting, and generate resistance. This study opens the door to using chilcuague as a natural fungicide, with less environmental impact and potential for ecological control of crop diseases.