Sophorolipids: A review on production and perspectives of application in agriculture

Abstract

Sophorolipids are bioactive molecules that have gained a lot of attention in the recent decades due to their unique functional properties of reducing surface and interfacial tension, emulsification and solubilization. They are mainly produced by the yeast Candida bombicola and are composed of a sugar moiety linked to a fatty acid chain. Sophorolipids are non-toxic, highly efficient and stable at extreme conditions and possess environmentally friendly characteristics over the chemical surfactants. This review is focused on the main characteristics of sophorolipids, fermentation processes, and their utilization in the agricultural field. In this context, sophorolipids are very suitable for use in agriculture, as enhancers of solubility and mobility of plant nutrients, which could result in increased plant biomass, root size and fruit yield. In addition, they could be used for biodegradation of oils, bioremediation of heavy metals in contaminated soils, and as potential biopesticides, to control phytopathogenic microorganisms in agriculture. The extensive use of chemical pesticides has led to widespread insecticide resistance and to hazards to human health and the environment due to their high toxicity. Thus, the introduction of a new biomolecule to control plant diseases and increase crop yield has become an interesting alternative. As a result of the demonstrated antimicrobial activity towards phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi, sophorolipids could be extensively explored in the agriculture field, as a sustainable and natural multifunctional agent for plant crops and soils.

Antimicrobial activity of sophorolipids produced by Starmerella bombicola against phytopathogens from cherry tomato

“…Therefore, the use of sophorolipids as an antimicrobial agent for controlling phytopathogens could be interesting because they are biomolecules that do not induce resistance of microorganisms, possess low cytotoxicity and may comprise a viable alternative with respect to the replacement of conventional fungicides 24 …”

Metallogels from a Glycolipid Biosurfactant

“…The present communication shows that a new class of bio-based surfactants is able to form fibrous metallogels, thus behaving as LMW gelators or peptide amphiphiles rather than surfactants. Historically developed to replace petrochemical surfactants, biological amphiphiles, also known as biosurfactants, are produced by the fermentation process of yeasts or bacteria in the presence of sugar and fatty acids. , So far, a number of properties (detergents, emulsion stabilizers, depollution, and antimicrobials) and potential domains of applications (food science, environmental remediation, cosmetics, and agricultural science) − have been reported in the literature, with a particular interest for their self-assembly in solution and at interfaces . Hydrogel formation, − the effect of salt on self-assembly, − and heavy metal removal ,− have been reported in the past few years within the context of developing soft materials or tackling depollution.…”

Sophorolipids—Bio-Based Antimicrobial Formulating Agents for Applications in Food and Health

“…They appear to be promising compounds used in substituting the usage of chemical surfactants which will cause detrimental effects on human beings and the environment [ 9 ]. Further studies show the utilization of sophorolipids in the agriculture field to enhance crop yield and to protect against plant diseases [ 10 ]. From this review, sophorolipids serve as potential biopesticides as they exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against phytopathogens such as bacteria and fungi, making them useful in the agriculture field in recent years [ 10 ].…”