Abstract:Objective Fusarium oxysporum is a fungal pathogen that causes plant wilt, severely affecting plant growth. Therefore, it is necessary to use appropriate and environmentally friendly biological methods for control of this pathogen.Methods We employed the point inoculation method to isolate a marine Bacillus strain antagonistic to Fusarium oxysporum from mangrove soil. The Bacillus strain was identified based on physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequence. The antifungal substance was extracted from the fermentation supernatant, and the inhibitory activity and mechanism of the substance against Fusarium oxysporum were evaluated in vitro.Results A Bacillus strain with strong antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum was isolated from mangrove soil and identified as Bacillus velezensis. The antifungal substance secreted by strain K3 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, being effective against both bacteria and fungi. This substance was likely a protein or peptide and had good thermal stability. It showed the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1 mg/mL against Fusarium oxysporum, significantly inhibiting spore germination and causing leakage of electrolytes, nucleic acids, and proteins. The treatment with 3×MIC of the antifungal substance for 10 h showed the inhibition rate of 49.85% on the germination of Fusarium oxysporum spores. Moreover, the treated Fusarium oxysporum hyphal cells showed compromised cell integrity, disrupted membrane homeostasis, increased malondialdehyde content, and enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase in the membrane.Conclusion The antifungal substance produced by B. velezensis K3 isolated from mangrove soil of marine origin exhibits a broad antimicrobial spectrum and strong inhibitory activity against Fusarium oxysporum, with potential commercial application value.