Bioactivity of volatile organic compounds by Aureobasidium species against gray mold of tomato and table grape

Aureobasidium strains isolated from diverse unconventional environments belonging to the species A. pullulans , A. melanogenum , and A. subglaciale were evaluated for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) production as a part of their modes of action against Botrytis cinerea of tomato and table grape. By in vitro assay, VOCs generated by the antagonists belonging to the species A. subglaciale showed the highest inhibition percentage of the pathogen mycelial growth (65.4%). In vivo tests were conducted with tomatoes and grapes artificially inoculated with B. cinerea conidial suspension, and exposed to VOCs emitted by the most efficient antagonists of each species (AP1, AM10, AS14) showing that VOCs of AP1 ( A. pullulans ) reduced the incidence by 67%, partially confirmed by the in vitro results. Conversely, on table grape, VOCs produced by all the strains did not control the fungal incidence but were only reducing the infection severity (