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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331778
Research Project: Evaluation of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Low-Value Agricultural Crops and Products to Enhance Their Use and Value

Location: Functional Foods Research

Title: Evaluating the efficacy of fungal strains to stimulate glyceollin production in soybeans

Author
item ISAAC, ISABEL - South Dakota State University
item JOHNSON, TYLOR - South Dakota State University
item Berhow, Mark
item BALDWIN, EMILY - South Dakota State University
item KARKI, BISHNU - South Dakota State University
item GIBBONS, WILLIAM - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: Mycological Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2017
Publication Date: 2/1/2017
Citation: Isaac, I.C., Johnson, T.J., Berhow, M., Baldwin, E.L., Karki, B., Woyengo, T., Gibbons, W.R. 2017. Evaluating the efficacy of fungal strains to stimulate glyceollin production in soybeans. Mycological Progress. 16:223-230.

Interpretive Summary: The use of antibiotics in the swine industry has caused an increase in antibiotic resistant microorganisms. We are investigating novel natural antimicrobial compounds that can be supplemented into swine feed. Soybeans produce naturally produce anti-microbial phytochemicals called glyceollins that only produced during attack by microbes. In this study, fungal strains were evaluated for their ability to stimulate glyceollin production in soybeans. The fungal strains were inoculated on soybeans that were either manually de-hulled and halved or still encased by the hull. It was determined that inoculated on de-hulled soybeans yielded significantly higher glyceollin production (3.763 mg/g) than all other treatments investigated in this study. This study strongly suggests that fungal treatments can stimulate glyceollin production from soybeans at a high enough concentration to become a novel natural antimicrobial in swine feed. It has been determined that 3 mg glyceollins per g soybean is the target production that would enable glyceollins to be used as an antimicrobial in swine feed.

Technical Abstract: The use of antibiotics in the swine industry has caused an increase in antibiotic resistant microorganisms. Thus investigating novel natural antimicrobial compounds that can be supplemented into swine feed is of great importance. Glyceollins are members of a class of inducible phytochemicals that are naturally produced by soybeans and have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It has been determined that 3 mg glyceollins per g soybean is the target production that would enable glyceollins to be used as an antimicrobial in swine feed. In this study, the optimal soybean germination conditions for glyceollin production was elucidated and utilized. Also, 8 fungal strains were evaluated for their ability to stimulate glyceollin production in soybeans. The fungal strains were inoculated on soybeans that were either manually de-hulled and halved or still encased by the hull. It was determined that Trichoderma reesei NRRL 3653 inoculated on de-hulled soybeans yielded significantly higher glyceollin production (3.763 mg/g) than all other treatments investigated in this study, which was a ~3-fold increase in production compared to a previous published study. This study strongly suggests that T. reesei can stimulate glyceollin production from soybeans at a high enough concentration to become a novel natural antimicrobial in swine feed.