Antifungal effects of iron sulfate on grapevine fungal pathogens

The present study aimed to determine the most efficient experimental conditions of iron sulfate use leading to optimal inhibition in the development of fungal pathogens. Assays have been focused on fungal species inducing severe grapevine diseases. FeSO4 directly inhibited the in vitro mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea, Eutypa lata, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, Phaeoacremonium aleophilum, Diplodia seriata, and Neofusicoccum parvum with variable efficiency in the range of 0.5–10 mM. The development was always completely inhibited at 20 mM. This inhibitory effect was greatly increased at acidic pH values. The anionic moiety of the molecule was of importance since bromide, chloride and sulfate were highly active, whereas acetate and oxalate showed a small effect. Electron microscope observations on E. lata and B. cinerea showed that a treatment with FeSO4 induced dramatic changes in the hyphal organization leading to cell death. No toxicity was observed on grapevine leaves following repeated FeSO4 sprays in the antifungal concentration range. Therefore, FeSO4 may be proposed to effectively replace the long-term pollutant use of CuSO4 as an antifungal agent, with the additional advantage of iron being an important plant micronutrient.

► We study the conditions of FeSO4 use to inhibit the development of fungal pathogens.
► FeSO4 inhibited the in vitro mycelial growth of fungal inducing grapevine diseases.
► The development was inhibited at 20 mM and the effect was increased at acidic pH.
► FeSO4 induced dramatic changes in the hyphal organization leading to cell death.
► No toxicity was observed on leaves; FeSO4 may be used to control grapevine diseases.