Bacteriostatic properties of Echinops sphaerocephalus against the causative agent of potato brown rot Ralstonia solanacearum

Posted on 15.05.2026 by secretar
UDC 632.911.2
https://doi.org/10.25630/PAV.2026.25.23.001

Domoratskaya D.A., Ramenskova M.V., Slovareva O.Yu., Kirakosyan R.N.

Brown rot of potato, caused by the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum, causes significant economic damage to potato production. The bacterium is included in the Unified List of Quarantine Pests of the Eurasian Economic Union. According to existing data, the bacterium is present in countries bordering the Russian Federation and is continuously expanding its distribution and host plant range. The high risk of introduction of this phytopathogen to the territory of the Russian Federation necessitates the search for preventive plant protection agents, which may be based on biologically active substances. This study was conducted to determine the bacteriostatic properties of extracts from Echinops sphaerocephalus containing thiophene compounds against the causal agent of potato brown rot. The objects and materials of the study were Echinops sphaerocephalus L. grown under greenhouse conditions and a reference strain of Ralstonia solanacearum cultured on YPGA medium. Thiophene extraction was performed using an n-hexane-acetone mixture (9:1 in volume fractions), with incubation on an orbital shaker at 10°C and 100 rpm for 16 hours. Drying was carried out using a vacuum centrifuge-concentrator in V-HV mode without heating. The dry matter yield was assessed by measuring its mass. Statistical data processing was performed using ANOVA in MS Excel. The content of thiophene compounds was evaluated using thin-layer chromatography. To determine the bacteriostatic activity of the obtained compounds, extracts from the aerial parts (1 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL) and roots (1 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL, and 80 mg/mL) of Echinops sphaerocephalus, dissolved in 96% ethanol, were used. It was found that the content of thiophene compounds in the roots of Echinops sphaerocephalus exceeds that in the aerial parts of the plant. When using the root extract at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, the growth of R. solanacearum culture on Petri dishes was partially inhibited compared to the positive control, and at 80 mg/mL, it was almost completely suppressed. The obtained data indicate the potential of using Echinops sphaerocephalus extracts as a basis for biological control agents.

Key words: Ralstonia solanacearum, brown rot, Echinops sphaerocephalus, thiophenes, bacteriostatic activity, biological protection, plant quarantine

Domoratskaya D.A., postgraduate student of the Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, junior research fellow of Laboratory of bacteriology and GMO analysis of Testing Laboratory Center, All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center. E-mail: danadomoratkaya@mail.ru

Ramenskova M.V., master's student of the Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy

Slovareva O.Yu., Cand. Sci. (Biol.), associate professor of the Department of Phytosanitary Biology and Ecosystem Safety, RUDN University, senior research fellow, Department Head of the Scientific and Methodological Department of Bacteriology, All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center

Kirakosyan R.N. (author for correspondence), Cand. Sci. (Biol.), associate professor of the Department of Biotechnology, Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. E-mail: r.kirakosyan@rgau-msha.ru

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For citing: Bacteriostatic properties of Echinops sphaerocephalus against the causative agent of potato brown rot Ralstonia solanacearum. D.A. Domoratskaya, M.V. Ramenskova, O.Yu. Slovareva, R.N. Kirakosyan. Potato and Vegetables. 2026. No3. Pp. 22-26. https://doi.org/10.25630/PAV.2026.25.23.001 (In Russ.).

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