Metabolomic Insights into the Antifungal Defense of Piper divaricatum Against Fusarium solani

Stella Maria Nascimento Macêdo1, Luciano Ferreira de Freitas2, Nádia Eligia Nunes Pinto Paracampo3, Ruth Linda Benchimol3, Paulo Riceli Vasconcelos Ribeiro4, Regimara Francisca Bernardo da Silva1, Christiana de Fátima Bruce da Silva4, Kirley Marques Canuto4

1. UFC, Universidade Federal do Ceará; Av. Mister Hull, s/n, Pici - Fortaleza, CE
2. UECE, Universidade Estadual do Ceará; Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700 - Parangaba, Fortaleza - CE
3. EMBRAPA, Embrapa Amazônia Oriental; Tv. Dr. Enéas Pinheiro, s/n - Marco, Belém - PA
4. EMBRAPA, Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical; R. Pernambuco, 2270 - Pici, Fortaleza - CE

Piper divaricatum G. Meyer is a shrub native to the Brazilian Amazon, particularly in the states of Pará and Amazonas, where it is popularly known as pau-de-angola and jaborandi-manso. Traditionally used as an insecticide, the plant is distinguished by its aromatic root with a pungent flavor reminiscent of ginger. Recent studies suggest that P. divaricatum exhibits tolerance to the fungus Fusarium solani, the causal agent of fusariosis in black pepper (Piper nigrum). In this context, we applied a metabolomic approach to investigate the chemical composition of P. divaricatum to better understand its potential resistance mechanisms to fusariosis. Hydroethanolic extracts from the roots, stems, and leaves were obtained through liquid–liquid partition using ethanol–water (7:3) and hexane, followed by solid-phase extraction (SPE-C18) and subsequent compound isolation via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD). The resulting fractions were analyzed using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) in positive ionization mode, leading to the identification of 23 secondary metabolites. These included fatty acids, porphyrins and alkylamides, with qualitative differences observed among the various plant organs. Alkylamides are a class of compounds well-documented for their biological activities, particularly antifungal properties. Among the extracts analyzed, the root extract exhibited the greatest chemical diversity and demonstrated notable antifungal activity against a phytopathogenic Fusarium strain, as assessed by the Percent Inhibition of Mycelial Growth (PIMG) assay. These findings suggest that certain constituents, especially alkylamides, may play a role in the plant’s tolerance to fusariosis. The next phase of the study will involve detailed evaluation of the antifungal effects of the isolated compounds against F. solani.

Agradecimentos: EMBRAPA, Funcap.