Bioactivity of a dihydroxy flavone produced by <i>Penicillium</i> EU0013 against the wilt pathogen of tomato

Bioassay-guided isolation of a dihydroxy flavone from the cell extract of <i>Penicillium</i> EU0013 was carried out using preparative LCMS and the structure was interpreted using 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The fungus was fermented in three different nutrient media <i>i.e.</i> Glucose Nutrient Broth, Glucose Peptone Yeast Broth, and Yeast Extract Broth and the cell extract was obtained using organics. Comparative LCMS profiles of the fungus confirmed the enhanced production of dihydroxy flavone in GPYB media. In this study, the pathogenicity of the dihydroxy flavone is reported for the first time against <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f.sp. <i>lycopersici</i>, wilt causing pathogen of a tomato plant. In MIC experiments, the compound inhibited the pathogen at 80 µg mL^-1. Molecular docking studies of the compound with <i>Fol</i> tomatinase showed five binding interactions. These docking studies may help explore dihydroxy flavones as a lead for developing new fungicides to prevent wilt disease in tomatoes.