Unveiling the Perspective on Weissella confusa as a Promising Biocontrol Agent Against Fusaria

The biotechnological potential of the lactic acid bacterial genus <i>Weissella</i> has not been fully unearthed. Since <i>Weissella</i> have not been tested against Fusaria and their mycotoxins, newly isolated <i>Weissella confusa</i> strains were characterized and tested for their antifungal capacities on <i>Fusarium</i> plant pathogens. <i>W. confusa</i> BF2 and ML2 successfully inhibited <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> NCIM 1100, <i>F. verticillioides</i> NCIM 1099, <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> MTCC 2089, and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> MTCC 284 in co-cultures. Ethyl acetate extracts of the cell-free culture supernatants (CFCS) of <i>W. confusa</i> also exhibited antifungal activity against the tested fungal cultures. The main mycotoxins of Fusaria were tested against the <i>Weissella</i> isolates. In MRS broth, <i>W. confusa</i> BF2 was resistant to the <i>Fusarium</i> mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T2, and fumonisin B1), while the ML2 strain showed 22.1-24.5% growth inhibition. Meanwhile, neither bacterium showed potential in mycotoxin reduction. The study highlighted that <i>W. confusa</i> BF2 and ML2 and their CFCS are suitable for <i>Fusarium</i> growth inhibition, as shown on surface-sterilized peanuts and wheat grains, but not for mycotoxin elimination.