Analytical methods for secondary metabolite detection

Abstract

The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium brunneum, Beauveria bassiana, and B. brongniartii are widely applied as biological pest control agent in OECD countries. Consequently, their use has to be fl anked by a risk management approach, which includes the need to monitor the fate of their relevant toxic metabolites. There are still data gaps claimed by regulatory authorities pending on their identifi cation and quantifi cation of relevant toxins or secondary metabolites. In this chapter, analytical methods are presented allowing the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the relevant toxic B. brongniartii metabolite oosporein and the three M. brunneum relevant destruxin (dtx) derivatives dtx A, dtx B, and dtx E.