Biotechnological value of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) seedcake: A glucomoringin-rich byproduct for the development of a sustainable biopesticide

Moringa oleifera Lam. ( Moringaceae ) is a multifunctional tree cultivated in all tropical countries for its nutritional properties and a variety of end uses. Noteworthy, M. oleifera seed is largely exploited for its edible oil, producing a seedcake biomass as a byproduct of oil extraction [ 1 ] [ 2 ]. The seedcake is rich in 4-(α-L-rhamnosyloxy)benzyl glucosinolate (glucomoringin), the chemical tag of the plant and the precursor of 4-(α-L-rhamnosyloxy)benzyl isothiocyanate (moringin) [ 3 ]. The objectives of this work were the extraction and isolation of pure glucomoringin on a multigram scale, and the evaluation of its antifungal potential for the control of infections by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici , the causal agent of wilting on tomato [ 4 ]. The commercial seedcake PKM-2 (100 g) showed a remarkable glucomoringin content (13.9%), determined according to the ISO 9167:2019 method [ 5 ]. After extraction with boiling water, pure glucomoringin (4.2 g) was obtained by a two-step chromatographic process. Glucomoringin and moringin solution freshly prepared by myrosinase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the precursor were evaluated for antifungal action in vitro , as well as in planta . Spore germination and mycelial development of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici were significantly inhibited in vitro , following exposure to moringin (range 1-0.001 mM), compared to treatments with glucomoringin, which didn’t differ significantly. Similarly, the coating of tomato seeds (var. crovarese) with moringin (0.1 mM) was effective in reducing significantly (-70% ca) the severity of the disease in post-emergence. This study highlighted the potential biotechnological value of M. oleifera seedcake for the development of a sustainable biopesticide. Funding : This study was carried out within the Agritech National Research Center and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU (Piano Nazionale Di Ripresa E Resilienza (PNRR) – Missione 4 Componente 2, Investimento 1.4 – D.D. 1032 17/06/2022, CN00000022). Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany