Control for anthracnose disease investigated with HPLC

Scientists have investigated environmentally-friendly ways to control anthracnose disease in crops using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Causative agents of the disease, which particularly affects crops in Thailand, include Colletotrichum.

Published in BMC Research Notes, the study looks at how actinomycetes can be used to inhibit the development of strains of Colletotrichum.

In the experiment, 304 strains of actinomycetes were studied to ascertain their effect against various strains.

Of those tested, 222 were effective against "at least one indicator of fungus or yeast", the research showed.

Meanwhile, it was found that 54 of these worked against three forms of anthracnose fungi.

"The present study suggests that rhizospheric soil is an attractive source for the discovery of a large number to actinomycetes with activity against Colletotrichum spp," comment the researchers.

BCM Research Notes is a peer-reviewed open-access journal that releases papers on a range of areas focusing on biology and medicine.