Goldenseal (
Hydrastis canadensis L.) is a popular medicinal plant distributed widely in North America. The rhizome, rootlets, and root hairs produce medicinally
active alkaloids. Berberine, one of the
Hydrastis alkaloids, has shown antifungal activity. The influence of a combination of the major
Hydrastis alkaloids on the plant rhizosphere fungal ecology has not been investigated. A bioassay was developed to study the effect
of goldenseal isoquinoline alkaloids on three
Fusarium isolates, including the two species isolated from
Hydrastis rhizosphere. The findings suggest that the
Hydrastis root extract influences macroconidia germination, but that only the combined alkaloids—berberine, canadine, and hydrastine—appear
to synergistically stimulate production of the mycotoxin zearalenone in the
Fusarium oxysporum isolate. The
Hydrastis root rhizosphere effect provided a selective advantage to the
Fusarium isolates closely associated with the root tissue in comparison with the
Fusarium isolate that had never been exposed to
Hydrastis.
Keywords
Hydrastis
- Goldenseal -
Fusarium
-
F. oxysporum
-
F. solani
-
F. commune
- Endophyte - Isoquinoline alkaloid - Rhizosphere - Chemical ecology