Abstract
Weeds pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity, emphasizing the urgent need for developing innovative biological herbicides. Soil is a rich reservoir of fungi with potential herbicidal properties. The Xinjiang region of China, characterized by unique biodiversity shaped by geographical and climatic factors, is likely to harbor distinctive fungal resources that remain understudied. This study investigated the herbicidal potential of soil fungi by collecting 123 soil samples from 33 diverse habitats in Xinjiang and isolating 114 fungal strains. Morphological characteristics and ITS sequence analysis identified these strains as 24 species belonging to 12 genera. Subsequently, 24 representative strains underwent phytotoxicity assays using detached weed leaves. Strain Tapu14C02 demonstrated significant herbicidal activity against 11 weeds, including Amaranthus retroflexus, Bidens pilosa, and Celosia argentea. Further identification confirmed the strain as Talaromyces purpureogenus. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the herbicidal potential of the strain. The spore suspension at a concentration of 1.0 × 10(8) spores/mL inhibited barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) seedling root length by 93.07%. Among the crude extracts from the fermentation broth, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest herbicidal activity, causing complete inhibition of root growth at concentrations of 1000 µg/mL and 500 µg/mL. This study provides novel insights into the herbicidal potential of soil fungi in the Xinjiang region of China. IMPORTANCE: Weeds pose significant challenges by causing agricultural losses and ecological harm. Over the past decades, many weed species have developed high resistance to chemical herbicides, underscoring the urgent need for new biological herbicide alternatives. In this study, we isolated and screened herbicidal fungi from soil samples in Xinjiang with unique conditions of extreme arid. Notably, we discovered the T. purpureogenus strain Tapu14C02, which shows promising potential as a myco-herbicide. Both its conidia and fermentation broth exhibit broad-spectrum effectiveness against weeds. This research highlights the potential of fungal resources for sustainable agriculture.