Pub Date : 2025-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105723
Manfredini Andrea , Pugliese Massimo , Valfrè Paolo , Canfora Loredana
The global agricultural sector is facing significant challenges in achieving higher sustainability, which has increased interest in using biological control agents (BCAs) to manage plant diseases. However, it is essential to ensure that microbial-based products, such as BCAs, are utilised in a manner that does not harm soil quality and fertility while decreasing reliance on synthetic pesticides. To accomplish this, it is crucial to monitor the fate and persistence of bioinoculants in the soil, which is essential for optimising their application over time, as well as for regulatory and commercial purposes and environmental risk assessment. A qPCR detection method utilising TaqMan chemistry is proposed, which has demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in detecting Trichoderma asperellum, a common BCA species, in soil. The primers and probe were designed based on the βtubulin2 gene. The TaqMan-based assay was applied and validated on soils where tomatoes and strawberries were grown after a previous application of T. asperellum FC80 strain over three years. The TaqMan-based assay was able to detect the target strain accurately, meeting the stringent requirements for commercial and regulatory applications.
Significance and impact of the study
The TaqMan assay developed here has the potential to impact the agricultural sector significantly. It can be used for regulatory, commercial, and scientific purposes to track, monitor, and determine the presence and fate of T. asperellum under field crop conditions, thereby contributing to adopting more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.
{"title":"Advancing strain-specific TaqMan assays for Trichoderma asperellum detection in commercial agricultural settings","authors":"Manfredini Andrea , Pugliese Massimo , Valfrè Paolo , Canfora Loredana","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global agricultural sector is facing significant challenges in achieving higher sustainability, which has increased interest in using biological control agents (BCAs) to manage plant diseases. However, it is essential to ensure that microbial-based products, such as BCAs, are utilised in a manner that does not harm soil quality and fertility while decreasing reliance on synthetic pesticides. To accomplish this, it is crucial to monitor the fate and persistence of bioinoculants in the soil, which is essential for optimising their application over time, as well as for regulatory and commercial purposes and environmental risk assessment. A qPCR detection method utilising TaqMan chemistry is proposed, which has demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in detecting <em>Trichoderma asperellum,</em> a common BCA species, in soil. The primers and probe were designed based on the βtubulin2 gene. The TaqMan-based assay was applied and validated on soils where tomatoes and strawberries were grown after a previous application of <em>T. asperellum</em> FC80 strain over three years. The TaqMan-based assay was able to detect the target strain accurately, meeting the stringent requirements for commercial and regulatory applications.</div></div><div><h3>Significance and impact of the study</h3><div>The TaqMan assay developed here has the potential to impact the agricultural sector significantly. It can be used for regulatory, commercial, and scientific purposes to track, monitor, and determine the presence and fate of <em>T. asperellum</em> under field crop conditions, thereby contributing to adopting more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105723"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105724
Christian Larson, Daniel Chichinsky, Fabian Menalled, Tim Seipel
Puccinia punctiformis is an obligate fungal pathogen of Cirsium arvense, a perennial rhizomatous weed common in temperate ecosystems. Cirsium arvense is difficult to manage in organic agriculture and integrated management is necessary to reduce its abundance and impact on crops. Puccinia punctiformis limits C. arvense growth but its effect has not been quantified in cropland field studies. In a four-year organic annual crop sequence at a semi-arid site in Montana, USA, we evaluated (1) P. punctiformis (occurrence, symptomatic stem density) and C. arvense (stem density, relative growth rate [RGR]) in response to tillage (standard vs. reduced), and the relationship between these two variables, and (2) final year crop stem density in response to tillage and P. punctiformis patch infection. Reduced tillage increased P. punctiformis occurrence and symptomatic stem density through time. Cirsium arvense stem density decreased through time in reduced tillage patches that displayed symptomatic infection. Cirsium arvense RGR decreased with increasing years that a patch had P. punctiformis symptomatic infection, and in the reduced tillage treatment regardless of symptoms. Final year crop stem density was higher under standard tillage but increased under reduced tillage with increasing years that a patch had P. punctiformis symptomatic infection. Reduced tillage practices complemented the impact of existing P. punctiformis by increasing its spread and symptomatic infection, two challenges previously identified with using P. punctiformis as a biocontrol agent. When coupled with complementary tactics, producers can integrate P. punctiformis into semi-arid organic agriculture weed management, potentially helping reduce C. arvense’s impact on crops.
{"title":"Integrating Puccinia punctiformis, a biological control agent, into Cirsium arvense management in semi-arid organic agriculture","authors":"Christian Larson, Daniel Chichinsky, Fabian Menalled, Tim Seipel","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Puccinia punctiformis</em> is an obligate fungal pathogen of <em>Cirsium arvense</em>, a perennial rhizomatous weed common in temperate ecosystems. <em>Cirsium arvense</em> is difficult to manage in organic agriculture and integrated management is necessary to reduce its abundance and impact on crops. <em>Puccinia punctiformis</em> limits <em>C. arvense</em> growth but its effect has not been quantified in cropland field studies. In a four-year organic annual crop sequence at a semi-arid site in Montana, USA, we evaluated (1) <em>P. punctiformis</em> (occurrence, symptomatic stem density) and <em>C. arvense</em> (stem density, relative growth rate [RGR]) in response to tillage (standard vs. reduced), and the relationship between these two variables, and (2) final year crop stem density in response to tillage and <em>P. punctiformis</em> patch infection. Reduced tillage increased <em>P. punctiformis</em> occurrence and symptomatic stem density through time. <em>Cirsium arvense</em> stem density decreased through time in reduced tillage patches that displayed symptomatic infection. <em>Cirsium arvense</em> RGR decreased with increasing years that a patch had <em>P. punctiformis</em> symptomatic infection, and in the reduced tillage treatment regardless of symptoms. Final year crop stem density was higher under standard tillage but increased under reduced tillage with increasing years that a patch had <em>P. punctiformis</em> symptomatic infection. Reduced tillage practices complemented the impact of existing <em>P. punctiformis</em> by increasing its spread and symptomatic infection, two challenges previously identified with using <em>P. punctiformis</em> as a biocontrol agent. When coupled with complementary tactics, producers can integrate <em>P. punctiformis</em> into semi-arid organic agriculture weed management, potentially helping reduce <em>C. arvense</em>’s impact on crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105724"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105699
Ruihuan Yang , Xiangning Du , Moein Khojasteh , Syed Mashab Ali Shah , Yongzheng Peng , Zhangfei Zhu , Zhengyin Xu , Gongyou Chen
Pseudomonas is a diverse genus found in various ecological environments, ranging from soil and water to plant surfaces and animal tissues. These bacteria are notable for producing a wide array of bioactive antimicrobial metabolites (AMs), which give them a competitive advantage by inhibiting rival microorganisms and serve as a primary mechanism for the biocontrol of plant diseases, thus supporting sustainable agriculture. This review comprehensively covers recent advancements in the study of Pseudomonas-derived AMs. It discusses the chemical diversity of these metabolites, their broad-spectrum bioactivities against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, and their modes of action. The genetic and enzymatic processes involved in AMs production, and the regulatory mechanisms that control these pathways in response to environmental signals. Practical applications of Pseudomonas AMs are also explored, particularly in plant disease management, where they function as biopesticides, reducing dependency on chemical pesticides and promoting sustainable farming practices. This review aims to encourage further exploration into AMs, inspiring new explorations into their production and applications. By highlighting recent progress and emerging trends, it seeks to promote the use of AMs in plant disease management and inspire the development of new green agrochemicals, contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
{"title":"Green guardians: The biocontrol potential of Pseudomonas-derived metabolites for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Ruihuan Yang , Xiangning Du , Moein Khojasteh , Syed Mashab Ali Shah , Yongzheng Peng , Zhangfei Zhu , Zhengyin Xu , Gongyou Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105699","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105699","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas</em> is a diverse genus found in various ecological environments, ranging from soil and water to plant surfaces and animal tissues. These bacteria are notable for producing a wide array of bioactive antimicrobial metabolites (AMs), which give them a competitive advantage by inhibiting rival microorganisms and serve as a primary mechanism for the biocontrol of plant diseases, thus supporting sustainable agriculture. This review comprehensively covers recent advancements in the study of <em>Pseudomonas</em>-derived AMs. It discusses the chemical diversity of these metabolites, their broad-spectrum bioactivities against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, and their modes of action. The genetic and enzymatic processes involved in AMs production, and the regulatory mechanisms that control these pathways in response to environmental signals. Practical applications of <em>Pseudomonas</em> AMs are also explored, particularly in plant disease management, where they function as biopesticides, reducing dependency on chemical pesticides and promoting sustainable farming practices. This review aims to encourage further exploration into AMs, inspiring new explorations into their production and applications. By highlighting recent progress and emerging trends, it seeks to promote the use of AMs in plant disease management and inspire the development of new green agrochemicals, contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105699"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have emerged as sustainable tool for managing plant diseases. This study investigates the potential of a Pseudomonas-based biocontrol agent to manage bacterial blight (BB) in pomegranate. This major disease is caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae (Xap) and it is traditionally controlled with antibiotics. Of the 151 bacterial isolates obtained from the pomegranate rhizosphere, three (UHSPS15A, UHSPS33, and UHSPS54) demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effects against Xap in vitro, and their identification as Pseudomonas was confirmed through DNA analysis. Greenhouse trials with Xap-inoculated plants revealed that preventive application of each of the three isolates was more effective than curative, with UHSPS15A providing the highest protection. A talc-based formulation was developed using UHSPS15A. After evaluating its stability and efficacy in greenhouse Xap-inoculated pomegranates plants, open-fields trials indicated that among the three different treatment modes tested, the combined soil and foliar application achieved the highest disease protection and fruit yield, topping the standard antibiotic control. These findings recommend that integrating Pseudomonas-based bio-formulations into disease management strategies could significantly reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals, offering a sustainable alternative for controlling BB in pomegranate.
{"title":"A Pseudomonas-based bio-formulation to control bacterial blight of pomegranate caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae","authors":"Pavan Kumar , Giandomenico Corrado , Girigowda Manjunatha , Suma Ramegowda , Pradeep Kumar , Boris Basile , Ganadalu Puttaswamy Mutthuraju , Baggana Girish Jasmitha","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2024.105686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2024.105686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have emerged as sustainable tool for managing plant diseases. This study investigates the potential of a <em>Pseudomonas</em>-based biocontrol agent to manage bacterial blight (BB) in pomegranate. This major disease is caused by <em>Xanthomonas axonopodis</em> pv. <em>punicae</em> (Xap) and it is traditionally controlled with antibiotics. Of the 151 bacterial isolates obtained from the pomegranate rhizosphere, three (UHSPS15A, UHSPS33, and UHSPS54) demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effects against Xap <em>in vitro</em>, and their identification as <em>Pseudomonas</em> was confirmed through DNA analysis. Greenhouse trials with Xap-inoculated plants revealed that preventive application of each of the three isolates was more effective than curative, with UHSPS15A providing the highest protection. A talc-based formulation was developed using UHSPS15A. After evaluating its stability and efficacy in greenhouse Xap-inoculated pomegranates plants, open-fields trials indicated that among the three different treatment modes tested, the combined soil and foliar application achieved the highest disease protection and fruit yield, topping the standard antibiotic control. These findings recommend that integrating <em>Pseudomonas</em>-based bio-formulations into disease management strategies could significantly reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals, offering a sustainable alternative for controlling BB in pomegranate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105686"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2024.105690
Qian Wang , Yujie Qiu , Siyu Wang, Yumei Gou, Hongji Hou, Tianwei Su, Lan Zou, Jing Huang
Southern blight and root rot were two main soil-borne diseases of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux, a famous medicinal plant rich in alkaloids. Beneficial microbe based biological control has been a promising and sustainable alternative for disease control. In this study, an endophytic bacterium YN-2-6S was isolated from the stem of A. carmichaelii. YN-2-6S was identified as Bacillus velezensis by phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated sequence of gyrA, rpoB, and recA genes. YN-2-6S showed strong antagonistic capacity against Sclerotium rolfsii and Fusarium oxysporum both in vitro and on root slices of A. carmichaelii by dual-culture assay. Field experiment revealed that YN-2-6S culture significantly reduced southern blight and root rot disease occurrences on A. carmichaelii, with 91.00 % and 85.71 % biocontrol efficiency respectively. The biocontrol activity persisted at least for 54 days. In addition, YN-2-6S inoculation significantly increased fresh and dry weight of stems, main roots and lateral roots of A. carmichaelii compared with non-inoculation and commercial B. subtilis treatments. YN-2-6S inoculation significantly promoted the accumulation of total alkaloids content of A. carmichaelii lateral roots to 17.36 mg/g. Cell-free culture filtrate of YN-2-6S showed strong inhibitory effect against S. rolfsii and F. oxysporum in vitro. The presence of ituC, fenA, fenB, fenD, srfAA, bmyB, bacA, baeA, mnlA, and dfnA genes by PCR amplification indicated that YN-2-6S was able to produce antifungal lipopeptides and polyketides. Furthermore, volatile compounds released by YN-2-6S also significantly inhibited the growth of S. rolfsii and F. oxysporum in vitro. In addition, YN-2-6S was able to produce glucanase, cellulase, protease, indole-3-acetic acid with growth-promoting ability. Increase of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activity of A. carmichaelii leaves was detected upon inoculation of YN-2-6S, which indicated that YN-2-6S may induce systemic resistance on A. carmichaelii. Taken together, this study proved that YN-2-6S was a promising biocontrol agent against southern blight and root rot of A. carmichaelii and the underline mechanism may involve the production of antifungal lipopeptides, polyketides, volatile compounds, hydrolysis and induction of host systemic resistance.
{"title":"Effective control of southern blight and root rot of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux by endophytic Bacillus velezensis YN-2-6S","authors":"Qian Wang , Yujie Qiu , Siyu Wang, Yumei Gou, Hongji Hou, Tianwei Su, Lan Zou, Jing Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2024.105690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2024.105690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Southern blight and root rot were two main soil-borne diseases of <em>Aconitum carmichaelii</em> Debeaux, a famous medicinal plant rich in alkaloids. Beneficial microbe based biological control has been a promising and sustainable alternative for disease control. In this study, an endophytic bacterium YN-2-6S was isolated from the stem of <em>A. carmichaelii</em>. YN-2-6S was identified as <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> by phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated sequence of <em>gyrA</em>, <em>rpoB</em>, and <em>recA</em> genes. YN-2-6S showed strong antagonistic capacity against <em>Sclerotium rolfsii</em> and <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> both <em>in vitro</em> and on root slices of <em>A. carmichaelii</em> by dual-culture assay. Field experiment revealed that YN-2-6S culture significantly reduced southern blight and root rot disease occurrences on <em>A. carmichaelii</em>, with 91.00 % and 85.71 % biocontrol efficiency respectively. The biocontrol activity persisted at least for 54 days. In addition, YN-2-6S inoculation significantly increased fresh and dry weight of stems, main roots and lateral roots of <em>A. carmichaelii</em> compared with non-inoculation and commercial <em>B. subtilis</em> treatments. YN-2-6S inoculation significantly promoted the accumulation of total alkaloids content of <em>A. carmichaelii</em> lateral roots to 17.36 mg/g. Cell-free culture filtrate of YN-2-6S showed strong inhibitory effect against <em>S. rolfsii</em> and <em>F. oxysporum in vitro</em>. The presence of <em>ituC</em>, <em>fenA</em>, <em>fenB</em>, <em>fenD</em>, <em>srfAA</em>, <em>bmyB</em>, <em>bacA</em>, <em>baeA</em>, <em>mnlA</em>, and <em>dfnA</em> genes by PCR amplification indicated that YN-2-6S was able to produce antifungal lipopeptides and polyketides. Furthermore, volatile compounds released by YN-2-6S also significantly inhibited the growth of <em>S. rolfsii</em> and <em>F. oxysporum in vitro</em>. In addition, YN-2-6S was able to produce glucanase, cellulase, protease, indole-3-acetic acid with growth-promoting ability. Increase of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activity of <em>A. carmichaelii</em> leaves was detected upon inoculation of YN-2-6S, which indicated that YN-2-6S may induce systemic resistance on <em>A. carmichaelii</em>. Taken together, this study proved that YN-2-6S was a promising biocontrol agent against southern blight and root rot of <em>A. carmichaelii</em> and the underline mechanism may involve the production of antifungal lipopeptides, polyketides, volatile compounds, hydrolysis and induction of host systemic resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105690"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105704
L. Sun , G.L. Deng , H.L. Wu , Q. He , S.H. Hu , J.Y. Li , X.Y. Li , S. Meng , A.N. He , Y.Q. Tian , X. Chen , S.H. Li
This study evaluated the biocontrol efficacy of Bacillus velezensis GX1 against gray spot disease (Pestalotiopsis xuefengensis) on the horticultural species, Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua. Results indicated that GX1 effectively inhibited P. xuefengensis HJHB1, inhibiting growth of the pathogen by 74.97 % in vitro and inhibiting disease development by 87.13 % in field experiments. Notably, a 10 % (v/v) concentration of cell-free supernatant (CFS) of GX1 fully inhibited mycelial growth. An extract of lipopeptides (LPs) prepared at 60 μg/ml strongly inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination and caused morphological deformation of the mycelia. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that strain GX1 produced significantly higher levels of surfactin A, surfactin B and plipastatin, relative to strain GX8, an ineffective strain. Commercial preparations of plipastatin and surfactin indicated that plipastatin exhibited strong antifungal activity but surfactin did not. A bacterial solution of GX1 had no significant effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in P. cyrtonema but did enhance the activity of peroxidase (POD) and decreased catalase (CAT) activity, which are associated with increased resistance of P. cyrtonema to gray spot disease.
{"title":"Biocontrol of gray spot disease on Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua by Bacillus velezensis GX1","authors":"L. Sun , G.L. Deng , H.L. Wu , Q. He , S.H. Hu , J.Y. Li , X.Y. Li , S. Meng , A.N. He , Y.Q. Tian , X. Chen , S.H. Li","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105704","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105704","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the biocontrol efficacy of <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> GX1 against gray spot disease (<em>Pestalotiopsis xuefengensis</em>) on the horticultural species, <em>Polygonatum cyrtonema</em> Hua. Results indicated that GX1 effectively inhibited <em>P. xuefengensis</em> HJHB1, inhibiting growth of the pathogen by 74.97 % <em>in vitro</em> and inhibiting disease development by 87.13 % in field experiments. Notably, a 10 % (v/v) concentration of cell-free supernatant (CFS) of GX1 fully inhibited mycelial growth. An extract of lipopeptides (LPs) prepared at 60 μg/ml strongly inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination and caused morphological deformation of the mycelia. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that strain GX1 produced significantly higher levels of surfactin A, surfactin B and plipastatin, relative to strain GX8, an ineffective strain. Commercial preparations of plipastatin and surfactin indicated that plipastatin exhibited strong antifungal activity but surfactin did not. A bacterial solution of GX1 had no significant effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in <em>P. cyrtonema</em> but did enhance the activity of peroxidase (POD) and decreased catalase (CAT) activity, which are associated with increased resistance of <em>P. cyrtonema</em> to gray spot disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105704"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105721
Mekuria Wolde Assena , Jochen Schöne , Frank Rasche
Biological control of Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. includes push–pull, intercropping using legumes, and soil-borne fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae (FOS). Efficacy of both technologies is compromised by various environmental factors. Combining them could potentially overcome their limitations and enhance control of S. hermonthica. It was hypothesized that FOS inoculation is compatible with push–pull intercropping, allowing consistent S. hermonthica suppression. Effects of selected phenolic acids and crude root exudates from three legume species (Mucuna pruriens, Desmodium uncinatum, Crotalaria juncea) on FOS mycelial growth and spore germination were studied. Bioassays showed that most phenolic acids (e.g., caffeic, p-hydroxybenzoic, syringic) had no effect on FOS development, except for piperonylic (80 %, 38 %) and t-cinnamic (53 %, 33 %) acids, which strongly inhibited growth at concentrations of 1 and 0.5 mM, respectively. Crude root exudates from Crotalaria inhibited FOS mycelial growth at 1 (44 %) and 0.5 (32 %) mg ml-1. Desmodium and Mucuna exudates showed no inhibition. Greenhouse results showed that legume intercropping and FOS inoculation reduced S. hermonthica emergence, with their integration achieving over 95 % suppression and boosting maize biomass. Legume presence enhanced FOS proliferation, with Mucuna and Desmodium increasing FOS gene copy numbers by over 44 %. LC-MS analysis identified nine phenolic acids, with p-coumaric (85–128 µg g−1) and p-hydroxybenzoic (50–97 µg g−1) acid being most abundant; the latter positively correlated with FOS abundance. In this setting, legume intercropping with maize did not impair FOS proliferation in rhizosphere soil and effectively suppressed S. hermonthica, demonstrating compatibility of FOS inoculation with push–pull for effective S. hermonthica management.
{"title":"Legume-derived phenolic acids influence Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae compatibility and biocontrol potential in a Striga push–pull system","authors":"Mekuria Wolde Assena , Jochen Schöne , Frank Rasche","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological control of <em>Striga hermonthica</em> (Del.) Benth. includes push–pull, intercropping using legumes, and soil-borne fungi such as <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> f.sp. <em>strigae</em> (FOS). Efficacy of both technologies is compromised by various environmental factors. Combining them could potentially overcome their limitations and enhance control of <em>S. hermonthica</em>. It was hypothesized that FOS inoculation is compatible with push–pull intercropping, allowing consistent <em>S. hermonthica</em> suppression. Effects of selected phenolic acids and crude root exudates from three legume species (<em>Mucuna pruriens</em>, <em>Desmodium uncinatum</em>, <em>Crotalaria juncea</em>) on FOS mycelial growth and spore germination were studied. Bioassays showed that most phenolic acids (e.g., caffeic, <em>p</em>-hydroxybenzoic, syringic) had no effect on FOS development, except for piperonylic (80 %, 38 %) and <em>t</em>-cinnamic (53 %, 33 %) acids, which strongly inhibited growth at concentrations of 1 and 0.5 mM, respectively. Crude root exudates from <em>Crotalaria</em> inhibited FOS mycelial growth at 1 (44 %) and 0.5 (32 %) mg ml<sup>-1</sup>. <em>Desmodium</em> and <em>Mucuna</em> exudates showed no inhibition. Greenhouse results showed that legume intercropping and FOS inoculation reduced <em>S. hermonthica</em> emergence, with their integration achieving over 95 % suppression and boosting maize biomass. Legume presence enhanced FOS proliferation, with <em>Mucuna</em> and <em>Desmodium</em> increasing FOS gene copy numbers by over 44 %. LC-MS analysis identified nine phenolic acids, with <em>p</em>-coumaric (85–128 µg g<sup>−1</sup>) and <em>p</em>-hydroxybenzoic (50–97 µg g<sup>−1</sup>) acid being most abundant; the latter positively correlated with FOS abundance. In this setting, legume intercropping with maize did not impair FOS proliferation in rhizosphere soil and effectively suppressed <em>S. hermonthica</em>, demonstrating compatibility of FOS inoculation with push–pull for effective <em>S. hermonthica</em> management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105721"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), the etiological agent of the bacterial canker in Actinidia plants, remains the main threat to kiwifruit orchards worldwide. Though environment-friendly disease control methods based on biological control agents (BCAs) represent a promising alternative to xenobiotic pesticides, their efficacy in field conditions has often resulted erratic. The selection of beneficial microorganisms directly from the phyllosphere of the host plant is a promising approach to overcome this limitation since it ensures the adaptation of the isolates to the environment in which they are going to be applied. This work reports the screening of the kiwifruit epiphytic bacterial community from three Psa infected orchards in Portugal to identify potential bacterial BCAs capable of inhibiting Psa growth or interfering with its virulence. Strains of Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas azotoformans efficiently antagonized Psa on flowers and leaves and colonized all susceptible organs with high surviving rates in glasshouse conditions. In vitro metabolic analysis together with genome sequencing and annotation revealed siderophore production, in particular pyoverdine, which may limit iron availability to the pathogen. Moreover, several biosynthetic gene clusters of secondary metabolites, were predicted in the genome of both strains, including non-ribosomal peptides, and the bacteriocin pyocin was predicted in the genome of BG1. Overall, these results open new perspectives to develop commercial products for Psa management based on kiwifruit-native bacteria, well-adapted to common orchard management practices, with a high efficiency of host plant colonization, at Psa-conducive temperatures, and point out possible mechanisms of action for these two BCA candidates, supporting further steps to assess their effectiveness in orchard conditions.
{"title":"Pseudomonas azotoformans and Pseudomonas putida: Novel kiwifruit-native biological control agents against Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae","authors":"Cristiana Correia , Antonio Cellini , Irene Donati , Panagiotis Voulgaris , Adebayo Ebenezer Obafemi , Elia Soriato , Elodie Vandelle , Conceição Santos , Francesco Spinelli","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105706","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105706","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas syringae</em> pv. <em>actinidiae</em> (Psa), the etiological agent of the bacterial canker in <em>Actinidia</em> plants, remains the main threat to kiwifruit orchards worldwide. Though <em>e</em>nvironment-friendly disease control methods based on biological control agents (BCAs) represent a promising alternative to xenobiotic pesticides, their efficacy in field conditions has often resulted erratic. The selection of beneficial microorganisms directly from the phyllosphere of the host plant is a promising approach to overcome this limitation since it ensures the adaptation of the isolates to the environment in which they are going to be applied. This work reports the screening of the kiwifruit epiphytic bacterial community from three Psa infected orchards in Portugal to identify potential bacterial BCAs capable of inhibiting Psa growth or interfering with its virulence. Strains of <em>Pseudomonas putida</em> and <em>Pseudomonas azotoformans</em> efficiently antagonized Psa on flowers and leaves and colonized all susceptible organs with high surviving rates in glasshouse conditions. <em>In vitro</em> metabolic analysis together with genome sequencing and annotation revealed siderophore production, in particular pyoverdine, which may limit iron availability to the pathogen. Moreover, several biosynthetic gene clusters of secondary metabolites, were predicted in the genome of both strains, including non-ribosomal peptides, and the bacteriocin pyocin was predicted in the genome of BG1. Overall, these results open new perspectives to develop commercial products for Psa management based on kiwifruit-native bacteria, well-adapted to common orchard management practices, with a high efficiency of host plant colonization, at Psa-conducive temperatures, and point out possible mechanisms of action for these two BCA candidates, supporting further steps to assess their effectiveness in orchard conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105706"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105700
Paul Bannwart , Antoine Gardarin , Sandrine Petit
The enhancement of invertebrate generalist predator populations through habitat management is a promising way to control pest populations and could contribute to pesticide use reduction in arable agriculture. The majority of studies on invertebrate ground-dwelling predators are focusing on the activity-density of adults during their period of activity and provide limited insight into their overwintering ecology. Semi-natural habitats (SNH) are frequently considered as key winter refuge but their contribution is often not compared with the contribution of adjacent arable crops. We performed a meta-analysis to investigate whether SNH are key overwintering sites relatively to adjacent crops, for two abundant and widespread generalist predator groups in agroecosystems: carabid beetles and spiders. We identified a corpus limited to 19 studies and 114 comparisons between SNH (linear or patch) and arable crops (autumn-sown and spring-sown crops) that monitored predators with traps avoiding predator movement during their overwintering. Our analysis revealed that SNH significantly sheltered higher densities of overwintering spiders than adjacent crops. Concerning carabid populations, densities of overwintering carabids were influenced by the shape of SNH with higher overwintering densities in linear elements (grass strips, flower strips, hedges) than in arable crops. In addition, carabid overwintering density and diversity were higher in SNH when the adjacent crop was a spring-sown crop, indicating a higher sensitivity to agricultural disturbances or low trophic resources. These findings highlight the predator and agricultural context-dependent role of semi-natural habitats as overwintering refuge and underline the increased consideration that should be granted to autumn-sown crops as suitable overwintering habitat.
{"title":"Do semi-natural habitats enhance overwintering of generalist predators in arable cropping systems? A meta-analysis","authors":"Paul Bannwart , Antoine Gardarin , Sandrine Petit","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enhancement of invertebrate generalist predator populations through habitat management is a promising way to control pest populations and could contribute to pesticide use reduction in arable agriculture. The majority of studies on invertebrate ground-dwelling predators are focusing on the activity-density of adults during their period of activity and provide limited insight into their overwintering ecology. Semi-natural habitats (SNH) are frequently considered as key winter refuge but their contribution is often not compared with the contribution of adjacent arable crops. We performed a <em>meta</em>-analysis to investigate whether SNH are key overwintering sites relatively to adjacent crops, for two abundant and widespread generalist predator groups in agroecosystems: carabid beetles and spiders. We identified a corpus limited to 19 studies and 114 comparisons between SNH (linear or patch) and arable crops (autumn-sown and spring-sown crops) that monitored predators with traps avoiding predator movement during their overwintering. Our analysis revealed that SNH significantly sheltered higher densities of overwintering spiders than adjacent crops. Concerning carabid populations, densities of overwintering carabids were influenced by the shape of SNH with higher overwintering densities in linear elements (grass strips, flower strips, hedges) than in arable crops. In addition, carabid overwintering density and diversity were higher in SNH when the adjacent crop was a spring-sown crop, indicating a higher sensitivity to agricultural disturbances or low trophic resources. These findings highlight the predator and agricultural context-dependent role of semi-natural habitats as overwintering refuge and underline the increased consideration that should be granted to autumn-sown crops as suitable overwintering habitat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105700"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105698
Qiuyan Bi , Fen Lu , Jie Wu , Xiangyu Liu , Xiuying Han , Jianjiang Zhao
Blumeria graminis f. sp. Tritici causes wheat powdery mildew (WPM) and severe wheat damage worldwide. To prevent WPM and emerging chemical fungicide resistance, researchers investigated the control effectiveness and induced disease resistance mechanisms of the biocontrol agent Bacillus tequilensis. Its inhibitory effect was determined via an in vitro method combined with microscopic observation, and the control effect was clarified via pot and field verification. Using transcriptome technology, we determined the differences in wheat gene expression in after treatment with B. tequilensis and verified the main molecular mechanism of B. tequilensis-induced resistance. The effects on wheat defence enzymes were clarified via physiological and biochemical techniques. The results revealed that B. tequilensis controlled WPM at an effective concentration of 1 × 107 cfu/mL or higher. The inhibitory effect in vitro was 90.91–100.00 %. The potted control effect was 92.98–100.00 %. The field control effect was 83.21–100.00 %. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed 1,472 significantly upregulated genes and 1,995 downregulated genes. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in several pathways related to amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism. The expression levels of actin-7-like, lipoxygenase, linoleic acid 9S-lipoxygenase 6-like, pathogenesis-related protein PR-1-like, superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and polyphenol oxidase were significantly increased. The relative enzymic activities induced by B. tequilensis presented maximum differences between 2.63-fold and 3.43-fold. Our results suggest that B. tequilensis combats WPM by inducing systemic acquired resistance in wheat, helps elucidate biological agent targeted control mechanisms and provides a foundation for field application.
{"title":"The control effect and induced disease resistance mechanism of Bacillus tequilensis on wheat powdery mildew","authors":"Qiuyan Bi , Fen Lu , Jie Wu , Xiangyu Liu , Xiuying Han , Jianjiang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105698","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105698","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Blumeria graminis</em> f. sp. <em>Tritici</em> causes wheat powdery mildew (WPM) and severe wheat damage worldwide. To prevent WPM and emerging chemical fungicide resistance, researchers investigated the control effectiveness and induced disease resistance mechanisms of the biocontrol agent <em>Bacillus tequilensis</em>. Its inhibitory effect was determined via an <em>in vitro</em> method combined with microscopic observation, and the control effect was clarified via pot and field verification. Using transcriptome technology, we determined the differences in wheat gene expression in after treatment with <em>B. tequilensis</em> and verified the main molecular mechanism of <em>B. tequilensis</em>-induced resistance. The effects on wheat defence enzymes were clarified via physiological and biochemical techniques. The results revealed that <em>B. tequilensis</em> controlled WPM at an effective concentration of 1 × 10<sup>7</sup> cfu/mL or higher. The inhibitory effect <em>in vitro</em> was 90.91–100.00 %. The potted control effect was 92.98–100.00 %. The field control effect was 83.21–100.00 %. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed 1,472 significantly upregulated genes and 1,995 downregulated genes. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in several pathways related to amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism. The expression levels of actin-7-like, lipoxygenase, linoleic acid 9S-lipoxygenase 6-like, pathogenesis-related protein PR-1-like, superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and polyphenol oxidase were significantly increased. The relative enzymic activities induced by <em>B. tequilensis</em> presented maximum differences between 2.63-fold and 3.43-fold. Our results suggest that <em>B. tequilensis</em> combats WPM by inducing systemic acquired resistance in wheat, helps elucidate biological agent targeted control mechanisms and provides a foundation for field application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 105698"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143136334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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