Potential of Asparagopsis armata as a biopesticide for weed control under an invasive seaweed circular-economy framework

Duarte, Bernardo; Carreiras, João; Feijão, Eduardo; Carvalho, Ricardo Cruz de; Matos, Ana Rita; Fonseca, Vanessa F.; Novais, Sara C.; Lemos, Marco F. L.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/7478

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Authors

Duarte, Bernardo

Carreiras, João

Feijão, Eduardo

Carvalho, Ricardo Cruz de

Abstract(s)

Marine macroalgae have been increasingly targeted as a source of bioactive compounds to be used in several areas, such as biopesticides. When harvesting invasive species, such as Asparagopsis armata, for this purpose, there is a two-folded opportunity: acquiring these biomolecules from a low-cost resource and controlling its spreading and impacts. The secondary metabolites in this seaweed’s exudate have been shown to significantly impact the physiology of species in the ecosystems where it invades, indicating a possible biocidal potential. Considering this in the present work, an A. armata exudate cocktail was applied in the model weed Thellungiella halophila to evaluate its physiological impact and mode of action, addressing its potential use as a natural biocide. A. armata greatly affected the test plants’ physiology, namely, their photochemical energy transduction pathway (impairing light-harvesting and chemical energy production throughout the chloroplast electron transport chain), carotenoid metabolism and oxidative stress. These mechanisms of action are similar to the ones triggered when using the common chemical pesticides, highlighting the potential of the A. armata exudate cocktail as an eco-friendly biopesticide.

Description

Funding: The authors would like to thank Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for funding the research via the project grants UIDB/04292/2020 and MARINE INVADERS—The impact and mechanisms of success of the invasive seaweed Asparagopsis armata on coastal environments (POCI-01-0145-FEDER- 031144). The project was also funded by project ORCHESTRA—add-value to ORCHards through thE full valoriSaTion of macRoalgAe (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-070155) cofunded by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional da União Europeia, Portugal 2020, through COMPETE 2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização and through FCT, and COSMOS: Valorização biotecnológica da alga invasora Asparagopsis armata da Costa de Peniche (MAR-04.03.01-FEAMP-0370) through GAL PESCA OESTE and MAR2020 in the framework of PORTUGAL2020 and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. B. Duarte and V. Fonseca were supported by research contracts (CEECIND/00511/2017, DL57/2016/CP1479/CT0024 and 2021.00244.CEECIND), and Sara Novais was supported in the scope of the Decree-Law 57/2016.

Keywords

Biorefinery Herbicide Marine biotechnology Pesticide Oxidative stress

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/7478

Citation

Duarte, B.; Carreiras, J.; Feijão, E.; de Carvalho, R.C.; Matos, A.R.; Fonseca, V.F.; Novais, S.C.; Lemos, M.F.L. Potential of Asparagopsis armata as a Biopesticide forWeed Control under an Invasive Seaweed Circular-Economy Framework. Biology 2021, 10, 1321. https://doi.org/10.3390/ biology10121321