Pub Date : 2025-12-28DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105954
Ji Yang , Hainian Chen , Chaowen Li , Benfu Cao , Xianghong Zeng , Xiang Li , Shengliang Zhang , Yingang Lu , Li Liu , Sanwei Yang
Therapeutic application of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens F11 during initial symptom onset suppressed tobacco bacterial wilt with 32 % control efficacy, outperforming both diseased controls and streptomycin treatment. STAMP analysis revealed that F11 treatments (B and I) substantially reduced key pathogens including Ralstonia and Acidobacterium, a suppression not achieved by streptomycin. The biocontrol mechanism likely combined direct pathogen suppression targeting Ralstonia solanacearum and Aquicella with enrichment of beneficial taxa including Stenotrophomonas and Rhizobium, leading to structural reorganization of the rhizosphere microbiome as confirmed by β-diversity shifts (PERMANOVA, P = 0.001). Our comparative indicator taxa analysis identified eight microbial indicators, including disease-suppressive members (Stenotrophomonas, Rhizobium, and Sphingobacterium), and disease-conducive guild (Ralstonia, Metallibacterium, Rhizomicrobium, Asticcacaulis, and Rhodocista), overcoming the limitations of conventional biomarker approaches LEfSe. Notably, F11 application disrupted the co-occurrence pattern between Ralstonia and Metallibacterium, indicating its capacity to interfere with potentially pathogenic associations. These findings demonstrate that temporally optimized F11 application rebuilds disease-suppressive soils through targeted microbiome restructuring, providing a sustainable alternative to chemical dependent disease management.
在症状初期施用解淀粉芽孢杆菌F11对烟草青枯病的防治效果为32%，优于对照和链霉素治疗。STAMP分析显示，F11处理（B和I）显著减少了包括Ralstonia和Acidobacterium在内的关键病原体，这是链霉素没有达到的抑制作用。其生物防治机制可能结合了直接抑制病原菌的拮抗作用，同时丰富了窄养单胞菌和根瘤菌等有益类群，导致根际微生物群的结构重组，β-多样性变化证实了这一点（PERMANOVA, P = 0.001）。我们的比较指标分类群分析确定了8个微生物指标，包括疾病抑制成员（窄养单胞菌，根瘤菌和Sphingobacterium）和疾病促进成员（Ralstonia, Metallibacterium, Rhizomicrobium， Asticcacaulis和Rhodocista），克服了传统生物标志物方法LEfSe的局限性。值得注意的是，F11的施用破坏了Ralstonia和Metallibacterium的共生模式，表明其能够干扰潜在的致病关联。这些发现表明，暂时优化的F11施用可以通过有针对性的微生物群重组重建疾病抑制土壤，为依赖化学物质的疾病管理提供可持续的替代方案。
{"title":"Tempo-defined resilience: Early Bacillus amyloliquefaciens F11 application reshapes rhizosphere microbiome to suppress tobacco bacterial wilt","authors":"Ji Yang , Hainian Chen , Chaowen Li , Benfu Cao , Xianghong Zeng , Xiang Li , Shengliang Zhang , Yingang Lu , Li Liu , Sanwei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Therapeutic application of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens F11 during initial symptom onset suppressed tobacco bacterial wilt with 32 % control efficacy, outperforming both diseased controls and streptomycin treatment. STAMP analysis revealed that F11 treatments (B and I) substantially reduced key pathogens including <em>Ralstonia</em> and <em>Acidobacterium,</em> a suppression not achieved by streptomycin. The biocontrol mechanism likely combined direct pathogen suppression targeting Ralstonia solanacearum and Aquicella with enrichment of beneficial taxa including Stenotrophomonas and Rhizobium, leading to structural reorganization of the rhizosphere microbiome as confirmed by β-diversity shifts (PERMANOVA, P = 0.001). Our comparative indicator taxa analysis identified eight microbial indicators, including disease-suppressive members (Stenotrophomonas, Rhizobium, and Sphingobacterium), and disease-conducive guild (Ralstonia, Metallibacterium, Rhizomicrobium, Asticcacaulis, and Rhodocista), overcoming the limitations of conventional biomarker approaches LEfSe. Notably, F11 application disrupted the co-occurrence pattern between Ralstonia and Metallibacterium, indicating its capacity to interfere with potentially pathogenic associations. These findings demonstrate that temporally optimized F11 application rebuilds disease-suppressive soils through targeted microbiome restructuring, providing a sustainable alternative to chemical dependent disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 105954"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105953
Cesar U. Valencia , Janaina C.S. Cunha , Loren Rivera-Vega , Gregory A. Sword
Fungal entomopathogens as biopesticides are typically applied as foliar sprays and assessed for their insecticidal activity. However, plant responses to these microbial treatments remain poorly understood. Additionally, environmental conditions such as desiccation and UV exposure can reduce spore viability, resulting in both live and dead spores serving as potential elicitors of plant responses. Whether foliar treatments with viable or dead fungal spores influence cotton defenses against the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, was studied. Spores of Beauveria bassiana, Phialemonium inflatum, and Chaetomium globosum were tested on two cotton genotypes for effects on aphid reproduction. Viable spores did not alter aphid population growth on either genotype. In contrast, dead spores significantly increased aphid populations on one genotype. Treatments with plant defense elicitors, Methyl Jasmonate and Actigard 50WG, increased aphid populations to levels observed with heat-killed spore treatments, suggesting that dead spores may activate plant defense pathways that inadvertently benefit aphids. Foliar application of chitosan, a proxy for fungal chitin, further indicated that plant genotype-specific responses to Microbe-Associated Molecular Patterns (MAMPs) likely underlie the observed differential aphid responses. Together, these findings demonstrate that heat-killed fungal spores can modulate plant defenses, thereby influencing the performance of insect herbivores. Our results highlight how beneficial fungal applications may alter host plant suitability by inducing plant defense pathways, potentially with unintended consequences for insect pest populations.
{"title":"Indirect effects of beneficial fungal treatments on pest insects can vary with plant genotype and spore viability","authors":"Cesar U. Valencia , Janaina C.S. Cunha , Loren Rivera-Vega , Gregory A. Sword","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fungal entomopathogens as biopesticides are typically applied as foliar sprays and assessed for their insecticidal activity. However, plant responses to these microbial treatments remain poorly understood. Additionally, environmental conditions such as desiccation and UV exposure can reduce spore viability, resulting in both live and dead spores serving as potential elicitors of plant responses. Whether foliar treatments with viable or dead fungal spores influence cotton defenses against the cotton aphid, <em>Aphis gossypii</em>, was studied. Spores of <em>Beauveria bassiana</em>, <em>Phialemonium inflatum</em>, and <em>Chaetomium globosum</em> were tested on two cotton genotypes for effects on aphid reproduction. Viable spores did not alter aphid population growth on either genotype. In contrast, dead spores significantly increased aphid populations on one genotype. Treatments with plant defense elicitors, Methyl Jasmonate and Actigard 50WG, increased aphid populations to levels observed with heat-killed spore treatments, suggesting that dead spores may activate plant defense pathways that inadvertently benefit aphids. Foliar application of chitosan, a proxy for fungal chitin, further indicated that plant genotype-specific responses to Microbe-Associated Molecular Patterns (MAMPs) likely underlie the observed differential aphid responses. Together, these findings demonstrate that heat-killed fungal spores can modulate plant defenses, thereby influencing the performance of insect herbivores. Our results highlight how beneficial fungal applications may alter host plant suitability by inducing plant defense pathways, potentially with unintended consequences for insect pest populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"213 ","pages":"Article 105953"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105950
Melanie Bullock , Bounnaliam Thammavongsa , Luke G. Barrett , Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zakeel , Louise F. Thatcher , Susan J. Sprague
Ascochyta blight, caused by the fungal pathogen Ascochyta rabiei, is one of the most widespread and devastating diseases affecting chickpeas globally. In Australia, protection against disease and yield loss is heavily reliant on synthetic fungicides, with implications for resistance development and environmental damage. Bioprotectants such as microbial biological control agents (BCAs) and biopesticides may provide alternatives to synthetic fungicides, however their efficacy against the current aggressive strains of A. rabiei on chickpea plants is unknown. Here we assessed representative bioprotectants for their ability to limit A. rabiei growth in vitro, as well as disease development and subsequent conidial spore inoculum load on chickpea seedlings under glasshouse conditions. Treatments included a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and a Streptomyces species, the fungus Trichoderma harzianum, a biofungicide formulation derived from Streptomyces, and synthetic fungicide controls. All bioprotectants demonstrated some level of A. rabiei growth suppression in vitro. However, only the biofungicide effectively reduced in planta disease development and conidial spore production, with a 48 % and 88 % reduction in stem disease severity and stem lesion lengths respectively compared to the control, comparable to levels achieved with synthetic fungicides. In a second in planta experiment, pre-treatment of plants with B. amyloliquefaciens 1 week prior to A. rabiei inoculation (compared to 24 h in experiment 1) suppressed stem lesion development, suggesting application timing may be crucial for optimising BCA efficacy. In view of efforts to reduce synthetic fungicide use and promote durable and sustainable integrated disease management strategies for Ascochyta blight control in chickpea, our findings identify bioprotectants such as the Streptomyces-derived biofungicide as candidates for evaluation under field conditions.
{"title":"Bioprotectants for the suppression of Ascochyta rabiei infection and inoculum production on chickpea (Cicer arietinum)","authors":"Melanie Bullock , Bounnaliam Thammavongsa , Luke G. Barrett , Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Zakeel , Louise F. Thatcher , Susan J. Sprague","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ascochyta blight, caused by the fungal pathogen <em>Ascochyta rabiei</em>, is one of the most widespread and devastating diseases affecting chickpeas globally. In Australia, protection against disease and yield loss is heavily reliant on synthetic fungicides, with implications for resistance development and environmental damage. Bioprotectants such as microbial biological control agents (BCAs) and biopesticides may provide alternatives to synthetic fungicides, however their efficacy against the current aggressive strains of <em>A.<!--> <!-->rabiei</em> on chickpea plants is unknown. Here we assessed representative bioprotectants for their ability to limit <em>A.<!--> <!-->rabiei</em> growth <em>in vitro</em>, as well as disease development and subsequent conidial spore inoculum load on chickpea seedlings under glasshouse conditions. Treatments included a strain of <em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em> and a <em>Streptomyces</em> species, the fungus <em>Trichoderma harzianum,</em> a biofungicide formulation derived from <em>Streptomyces,</em> and synthetic fungicide controls. All bioprotectants demonstrated some level of <em>A. rabiei</em> growth suppression <em>in vitro</em>. However, only the biofungicide effectively reduced <em>in planta</em> disease development and conidial spore production, with a 48 % and 88 % reduction in stem disease severity and stem lesion lengths respectively compared to the control, comparable to levels achieved with synthetic fungicides. In a second <em>in planta</em> experiment, pre-treatment of plants with <em>B. amyloliquefaciens</em> 1 week prior to <em>A. rabiei</em> inoculation (compared to 24 h in experiment 1) suppressed stem lesion development, suggesting application timing may be crucial for optimising BCA efficacy. In view of efforts to reduce synthetic fungicide use and promote durable and sustainable integrated disease management strategies for Ascochyta blight control in chickpea, our findings identify bioprotectants such as the <em>Streptomyces</em>-derived biofungicide as candidates for evaluation under field conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105950"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105949
Simon Duchateau , Célia Borrego , Sonia Verdelet , Stéphan Dorey , Aziz Aziz , Sandrine Dhondt-Cordelier , Charles Gauthier , Éric Déziel , Sylvain Cordelier , Jérôme Crouzet
Beneficial bacteria belonging to Pantoea spp. and their interactions with plants have recently attracted growing interest for their beneficial effects, especially in promoting plant growth and health. In this study, we evaluated the growth-promoting and induced resistance activities of Pantoea ananatis strain BRT175 in tomato. In vitro assays revealed that this strain exhibits different beneficial traits, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, and IAA synthesis. These traits were further supported in silico by the presence of corresponding genes annotated in P. ananatis BRT175 genome. The capacity of this strain to significantly promote tomato growth was demonstrated under both growth chamber and greenhouse conditions. This bacterium also showed significant biocontrol activity through its antifungal effect against Botrytis cinerea. Interestingly, P. ananatis BRT175-derived ananatosides, a group of amphiphilic glycolipids, also showed an antifungal effect against B. cinerea. These glycolipids could therefore act as bacterial determinants contributing to protection against the pathogen. In addition, both root and leaf treatments with the bacterium resulted in a significant reduction of necrotic symptoms, suggesting that P. ananatis BRT175 potentially triggers systemic resistance of tomato. At the leaf level, P. ananatis BRT175 may displays a multifaceted protective effect by combining antifungal properties, competition for nutrients, and stimulation of tomato systemic resistance.
{"title":"Growth-promoting and biocontrol features of Pantoea ananatis BRT175 in tomato","authors":"Simon Duchateau , Célia Borrego , Sonia Verdelet , Stéphan Dorey , Aziz Aziz , Sandrine Dhondt-Cordelier , Charles Gauthier , Éric Déziel , Sylvain Cordelier , Jérôme Crouzet","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105949","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Beneficial bacteria belonging to <em>Pantoea</em> spp. and their interactions with plants have recently attracted growing interest for their beneficial effects, especially in promoting plant growth and health. In this study, we evaluated the growth-promoting and induced resistance activities of <em>Pantoea ananatis</em> strain BRT175 in tomato. <em>In vitro</em> assays revealed that this strain exhibits different beneficial traits, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, and IAA synthesis. These traits were further supported <em>in silico</em> by the presence of corresponding genes annotated in <em>P. ananatis</em> BRT175 genome. The capacity of this strain to significantly promote tomato growth was demonstrated under both growth chamber and greenhouse conditions. This bacterium also showed significant biocontrol activity through its antifungal effect against <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>. Interestingly, <em>P. ananatis</em> BRT175-derived ananatosides, a group of amphiphilic glycolipids, also showed an antifungal effect against <em>B. cinerea</em>. These glycolipids could therefore act as bacterial determinants contributing to protection against the pathogen. In addition, both root and leaf treatments with the bacterium resulted in a significant reduction of necrotic symptoms, suggesting that <em>P. ananatis</em> BRT175 potentially triggers systemic resistance of tomato. At the leaf level, <em>P. ananatis</em> BRT175 may displays a multifaceted protective effect by combining antifungal properties, competition for nutrients, and stimulation of tomato systemic resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105949"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105948
Simin Zhang , Jianyu Wei , Jili Zhang , Minghui Chen , Yingying Zhang , Yixia Cai , Wei Wang
The application of green additives is an effective strategy to enhance soil health and control tobacco diseases. In this study, microbiome and metabolomics techniques were employed to investigate the mechanisms by which the combined application (SP) of organic bran fertilizer, biochar, and microbial inoculants suppresses tobacco soil-borne diseases. The results showed that SP significantly decreased the incidence of bacterial blight, black shank, and root rot by 66.58 %, 76.12 %, and 64.37 %, respectively. Soil pH, the contents of organic matter and total potassium were improved obviously, and the activities of catalase, polyphenol oxidase and invertase activities were enhanced, too. The abundance of beneficial bacterial genera, such as Sphingomonas and Bacillus, and fungal genera, including Pseudeurotium and Rhizophagus, increased significantly, whereas pathogenic genera such as Gemmatimonas and Fusarium were significantly suppressed. Bacterial functional groups associated with “peptidases and inhibitors” and fungal saprotroph-symbiotroph groups were distinctly enhanced. A total of 925 differential metabolites were identified in tobacco roots, stems, and rhizosphere soil. Lanceotoxin A increased by 119.96-fold in rhizosphere soil, with key metabolic pathways, including glucosinolates and alkaloids, activated, promoting the biosynthesis of disease-resistant metabolites such as gingerol and 12-KETE. Additionally, plant resistance was supported by Albizziin as well as by Rhizophagus and Bacillus. Structural equation modeling revealed that fungal abundance was negatively correlated with disease incidence but positively correlated with Lanceotoxin A. Soil nutrients accounted for a substantial proportion of the variation in enzyme activity and fungal community composition. Overall, SP provides a feasible and effective approach to controlling soil-borne diseases and enhancing tobacco yields through improved soil quality, regulated microbial communities, and activated host metabolic pathways.
{"title":"Combined applications of organic bran Fertilizer, biochar and microbial inoculants control tobacco soil-borne diseases by recruiting beneficial rhizosphere microbes and enhancing soil quality","authors":"Simin Zhang , Jianyu Wei , Jili Zhang , Minghui Chen , Yingying Zhang , Yixia Cai , Wei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of green additives is an effective strategy to enhance soil health and control tobacco diseases. In this study, microbiome and metabolomics techniques were employed to investigate the mechanisms by which the combined application (SP) of organic bran fertilizer, biochar, and microbial inoculants suppresses tobacco soil-borne diseases. The results showed that SP significantly decreased the incidence of bacterial blight, black shank, and root rot by 66.58 %, 76.12 %, and 64.37 %, respectively. Soil pH, the contents of organic matter and total potassium were improved obviously, and the activities of catalase, polyphenol oxidase and invertase activities were enhanced, too. The abundance of beneficial bacterial genera, such as <em>Sphingomonas</em> and <em>Bacillus</em>, and fungal genera, including <em>Pseudeurotium</em> and <em>Rhizophagus</em>, increased significantly, whereas pathogenic genera such as <em>Gemmatimonas</em> and <em>Fusarium</em> were significantly suppressed. Bacterial functional groups associated with “peptidases and inhibitors” and fungal saprotroph-symbiotroph groups were distinctly enhanced. A total of 925 differential metabolites were identified in tobacco roots, stems, and rhizosphere soil. Lanceotoxin A increased by 119.96-fold in rhizosphere soil, with key metabolic pathways, including glucosinolates and alkaloids, activated, promoting the biosynthesis of disease-resistant metabolites such as gingerol and 12-KETE. Additionally, plant resistance was supported by Albizziin as well as by <em>Rhizophagus</em> and <em>Bacillus</em>. Structural equation modeling revealed that fungal abundance was negatively correlated with disease incidence but positively correlated with Lanceotoxin A. Soil nutrients accounted for a substantial proportion of the variation in enzyme activity and fungal community composition. Overall, SP provides a feasible and effective approach to controlling soil-borne diseases and enhancing tobacco yields through improved soil quality, regulated microbial communities, and activated host metabolic pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105948"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105944
Bo Xu , Guohui Zhang , Nannan Zhu , Jörg Romeis , Jana Collatz , Guifen Zhang , Cong Huang , Yibo Zhang , Fanghao Wan
Beauveria bassiana and Bacillus thuringiensis are widely utilized entomopathogens for biological control. Insects combat these microbial threats through the activation of innate immune defenses, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), particularly defensins, playing pivotal roles. Tuta (Phthorimaea) absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a rapidly spreading and highly destructive invasive tomato pest that has developed resistance to conventional insecticides. To enhance the efficacy of entomopathogens targeted by AMPs, we investigated defensin functions in T. absoluta during pathogen challenge. A genome-wide survey identified four defensin genes (tadef1–4), each encoding 76–124 amino acids (228–372bp ORFs). All contained the insect defensin motif (C-X5-16-C-X3-C-X9-10-C-X4-7-CX1-C) and a conserved two-exon structure. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed their membership in the insect defensin family. Post-infection expression profiling showed that tadef1/2 were upregulated by both B. bassiana and B. thuringiensis, while tadef3/4 were suppressed by B. bassiana but induced by B. thuringiensis relative to uninfected controls. Developmental and tissue-specific expression analyses showed that tadef1/2 peaked in early instar larvae, especially midgut. Recombinant tadef1/2 demonstrated antibacterial activity against B. thuringiensis but lacked antifungal effects against B. bassiana. These results establish tadef1/2 as key effectors against Gram-positive bacteria and provide a molecular basis for improving the biocontrol of T. absoluta via immune modulation.
{"title":"Functional characterization of four antimicrobial defensins in the globally invasive pest Tuta (Phthorimaea) absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)","authors":"Bo Xu , Guohui Zhang , Nannan Zhu , Jörg Romeis , Jana Collatz , Guifen Zhang , Cong Huang , Yibo Zhang , Fanghao Wan","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105944","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105944","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Beauveria bassiana</em> and <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> are widely utilized entomopathogens for biological control. Insects combat these microbial threats through the activation of innate immune defenses, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), particularly defensins, playing pivotal roles. <em>Tuta</em> (<em>Phthorimaea</em>) <em>absoluta</em> (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a rapidly spreading and highly destructive invasive tomato pest that has developed resistance to conventional insecticides. To enhance the efficacy of entomopathogens targeted by AMPs, we investigated defensin functions in <em>T. absoluta</em> during pathogen challenge. A genome-wide survey identified four defensin genes (<em>tadef1</em>–<em>4</em>), each encoding 76–124 amino acids (228–372bp ORFs). All contained the insect defensin motif (C-X<sub>5-16</sub>-C-X<sub>3</sub>-C-X<sub>9-10</sub>-C-X<sub>4-7</sub>-CX<sub>1</sub>-C) and a conserved two-exon structure. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed their membership in the insect defensin family. Post-infection expression profiling showed that <em>tadef1</em>/<em>2</em> were upregulated by both <em>B. bassiana</em> and <em>B. thuringiensis</em>, while <em>tadef3</em>/<em>4</em> were suppressed by <em>B. bassiana</em> but induced by <em>B. thuringiensis</em> relative to uninfected controls. Developmental and tissue-specific expression analyses showed that <em>tadef1</em>/<em>2</em> peaked in early instar larvae, especially midgut. Recombinant tadef1/2 demonstrated antibacterial activity against <em>B. thuringiensis</em> but lacked antifungal effects against <em>B. bassiana</em>. These results establish tadef1/2 as key effectors against Gram-positive bacteria and provide a molecular basis for improving the biocontrol of <em>T. absoluta</em> via immune modulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105944"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105945
Johan van Vlaenderen , Niamh Hennessy , Padraig O’Tuama , Christopher D. Williams , Christine T. Griffin
The large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis, is a serious pest of reforestation across much of northern Europe. Larvae develop in the stumps and roots of recently felled conifers, and adults feed on the bark of young trees used to replant the site. Entomopathogenic fungi and chemical insecticides, alone and in combination, were tested against adult pine weevil in laboratory and field experiments. In a broad screening experiment, weevils were dipped in conidial suspension of Beauveria bassiana (Bb Naturalis and Bb SC4), Beauveria caledonica (Bc SG61) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma F52 and Ma SG6) and/or provided with twigs treated with chemical insecticides (cypermethrin, acetamiprid and thiacloprid). When assessed after 14 or 17 days, there was higher weevil mortality in combined treatments than expected based on individual treatments, with synergistic effects demonstrated in most cases. In a second laboratory experiment, Bb Naturalis, Bc SG61 and Ma F52 applied in each of two ways, either by dipping weevils or contaminating the substrate, gave synergistic effects in combination with cypermethrin, and mainly additive effects with acetamiprid. Weevil cadavers in all fungus-insecticide treatments tested developed mycosis, which would facilitate recycling of fungi in the field. In a field trial, a commercial formulation of Ma F52 (Met52) and cypermethrin were tested alone and in combination for protection of young Sitka spruce trees. Weevil feeding damage on trees treated with Met52 and half the recommended rate of cypermethrin did not differ significantly from that of trees that received full rate cypermethrin, but damage to trees that received half rate cypermethrin was higher. This study demonstrates the potential of entomopathogenic fungi to reduce the amount of chemical insecticide used to protect trees against pine weevil damage as part of an integrated pest management approach to pine weevil.
{"title":"Entomopathogenic fungi and chemical insecticides have synergistic action against adult large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis","authors":"Johan van Vlaenderen , Niamh Hennessy , Padraig O’Tuama , Christopher D. Williams , Christine T. Griffin","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105945","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The large pine weevil, <em>Hylobius abietis</em>, is a serious pest of reforestation across much of northern Europe. Larvae develop in the stumps and roots of recently felled conifers, and adults feed on the bark of young trees used to replant the site. Entomopathogenic fungi and chemical insecticides, alone and in combination, were tested against adult pine weevil in laboratory and field experiments. In a broad screening experiment, weevils were dipped in conidial suspension of <em>Beauveria bassiana</em> (Bb Naturalis and Bb SC4), <em>Beauveria caledonica</em> (Bc SG61) and <em>Metarhizium anisopliae</em> (Ma F52 and Ma SG6) and/or provided with twigs treated with chemical insecticides (cypermethrin, acetamiprid and thiacloprid). When assessed after 14 or 17 days, there was higher weevil mortality in combined treatments than expected based on individual treatments, with synergistic effects demonstrated in most cases. In a second laboratory experiment, Bb Naturalis, Bc SG61 and Ma F52 applied in each of two ways, either by dipping weevils or contaminating the substrate, gave synergistic effects in combination with cypermethrin, and mainly additive effects with acetamiprid. Weevil cadavers in all fungus-insecticide treatments tested developed mycosis, which would facilitate recycling of fungi in the field. In a field trial, a commercial formulation of Ma F52 (Met52) and cypermethrin were tested alone and in combination for protection of young Sitka spruce trees. Weevil feeding damage on trees treated with Met52 and half the recommended rate of cypermethrin did not differ significantly from that of trees that received full rate cypermethrin, but damage to trees that received half rate cypermethrin was higher. This study demonstrates the potential of entomopathogenic fungi to reduce the amount of chemical insecticide used to protect trees against pine weevil damage as part of an integrated pest management approach to pine weevil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105945"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a globally cultivated crop, but blemish diseases such as silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) and black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes) cause significant quality and market losses, black dot could reduce yield up to 30–50 % with estimated market loss of ∼ £3 million yearly and silver scurf can cause tuber weight losses up to ∼ 17 %. The origins of these diseases are multifaceted, involving complex interactions among pathogens, environmental conditions, and the host plant. This review aims to offer a thorough examination of current knowledge on their biology, epidemiology, and management practices, highlighting that cultural practices such as crop rotation, reduced tillage, regulated irrigation, curing and controlled storage conditions reduce disease severity, but are insufficient as standalone management strategies. Numerous bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents have shown strong in vitro inhibition but still require field validation. Plant derived metabolites and microbial metabolites also exhibited potent antifungal activity against these diseases under in vitro dual culture assays, mini-tuber assays and as post-harvest protectants. Although combining biocontrol agents with early detection, optimized agricultural practices, and regulated storage conditions has not yet been fully validated for potato tuber blemish diseases, similar integrated pest management strategies have proven successful against other crop diseases, highlighting the potential of this approach but also signifying the need for further research. Thus, this review highlights the existing biological management approaches investigated against black dot and silver scurf and the possibility of incorporating it with other non-chemical approaches for sustainable management of these diseases.
{"title":"Integrating biological control as a sustainable approach for managing silver scurf and black dot in potatoes","authors":"Apsara Indhu Gopan , Sabine Ravnskov , Jens Grønbech Hansen , Isaac Kwesi Abuley","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105946","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105946","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The potato (<em>Solanum tuberosum</em>) is a globally cultivated crop, but blemish diseases such as silver scurf (<em>Helminthosporium solani</em>) and black dot (<em>Colletotrichum coccodes</em>) cause significant quality and market losses, black dot could reduce yield up to 30–50 % with estimated market loss of ∼ £3 million yearly and silver scurf can cause tuber weight losses up to ∼ 17 %. The origins of these diseases are multifaceted, involving complex interactions among pathogens, environmental conditions, and the host plant. This review aims to offer a thorough examination of current knowledge on their biology, epidemiology, and management practices, highlighting that cultural practices such as crop rotation, reduced tillage, regulated irrigation, curing and controlled storage conditions reduce disease severity, but are insufficient as standalone management strategies. Numerous bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents have shown strong <em>in vitro</em> inhibition but still require field validation. Plant derived metabolites and microbial metabolites also exhibited potent antifungal activity against these diseases under <em>in vitro</em> dual culture assays, mini-tuber assays and as post-harvest protectants. Although combining biocontrol agents with early detection, optimized agricultural practices, and regulated storage conditions has not yet been fully validated for potato tuber blemish diseases, similar integrated pest management strategies have proven successful against other crop diseases, highlighting the potential of this approach but also signifying the need for further research. Thus, this review highlights the existing biological management approaches investigated against black dot and silver scurf and the possibility of incorporating it with other non-chemical approaches for sustainable management of these diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105946"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105933
Ziyan Xu, Rong Ma
The development of green and targeted biocontrol agents requires a comprehensive understanding of the biocontrol potential of microbial strains and their interaction mechanisms with pathogens. In this study, we addressed the challenge of managing Wilsonomyces carpophilus by employing an integrative genomics and metabolomics approach to elucidate the antagonistic mechanisms of Bacillus atrophaeus XHG-1–3 m2. Genomic analysis rev ealed the presence of a complete srfABCD gene cluster along with diverse antimicrobial enzyme systems. Metabolomic profiling indicated that the strain undergoes metabolic reprogramming under interaction conditions, leading to the activation of arginine and proline biosynthesis while suppressing central carbon and phosphorus metabolism. This metabolic shift redirects resources toward the production of antimicrobial compounds. The fermentation broth exhibited a notable accumulation of amino acids, peptides, and alkaloids, achieving a peak inhibition rate of 79.38 % against the pathogen on day 5. A functional correlation was established between the key metabolite surfactin and the srfABCD gene cluster, confirming its pivotal role from both genetic and metabolic perspectives. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that B. atrophaeus XHG-1–3 m2 exerts biocontrol activity through metabolic reprogramming and the synergistic production of surfactin and other antimicrobial compounds. These results provide a molecular framework for developing targeted biocontrol strategies against fungal diseases in fruit trees.
{"title":"Multi-omics dissection of Bacillus atrophaeus mediated antagonism against Wilsonomyces carpophilus in wild apricot","authors":"Ziyan Xu, Rong Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of green and targeted biocontrol agents requires a comprehensive understanding of the biocontrol potential of microbial strains and their interaction mechanisms with pathogens. In this study, we addressed the challenge of managing <em>Wilsonomyces carpophilus</em> by employing an integrative genomics and metabolomics approach to elucidate the antagonistic mechanisms of <em>Bacillus atrophaeus</em> XHG-1–3 m2. Genomic analysis rev ealed the presence of a complete srfABCD gene cluster along with diverse antimicrobial enzyme systems. Metabolomic profiling indicated that the strain undergoes metabolic reprogramming under interaction conditions, leading to the activation of arginine and proline biosynthesis while suppressing central carbon and phosphorus metabolism. This metabolic shift redirects resources toward the production of antimicrobial compounds. The fermentation broth exhibited a notable accumulation of amino acids, peptides, and alkaloids, achieving a peak inhibition rate of 79.38 % against the pathogen on day 5. A functional correlation was established between the key metabolite surfactin and the srfABCD gene cluster, confirming its pivotal role from both genetic and metabolic perspectives. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that <em>B. atrophaeus</em> XHG-1–3 m2 exerts biocontrol activity through metabolic reprogramming and the synergistic production of surfactin and other antimicrobial compounds. These results provide a molecular framework for developing targeted biocontrol strategies against fungal diseases in fruit trees.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105933"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105934
Zhang Guozheng , Lin Wei , Liu Jianyang , Lin Yong , Ye Chao , Liu Tianbo , Jing Wang
Pseudomonas koreensis, a subgroup of the P. fluorescens complex, is a potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocontrol effects of Pseudomonas koreensis CLP-23 against R. solanacearum under acidic conditions, both in vitro and in vivo. P. koreensis CLP-23 had an antagonistic activity against R. solanacearum, with the strongest antagonism at pH 5.5. Additionally, P. koreensis CLP-23 enhanced the plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics, including protease production, indole-3-acetic acid synthesis, and phosphate solubilization, particularly at a pH of 5.5. In pot and field, P. koreensis CLP-23 improved biomass accumulation and enhanced bioccontrol efficacy to tobacco wilt in soils with pH 5.5, respectively. Morover, P. koreensis CLP-23 significantly enhanced phosphatase and urease activities as well as available phosphorus and potassium contents in the rhizosphere soil within 45 d post-inoculation. Our results indicated that an acid-tolerant P. koreensis CLP-23 plays an important role in the tobacco wilt prevention, the process of growth enhancement under acidic soil.
{"title":"Improved biocontrol performance of acid-tolerant Pseudomonas koreensis CLP-23 against Ralstonia solanacearum causing tobacco wilt","authors":"Zhang Guozheng , Lin Wei , Liu Jianyang , Lin Yong , Ye Chao , Liu Tianbo , Jing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105934","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105934","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas koreensis</em>, a subgroup of the <em>P. fluorescens</em> complex, is a potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocontrol effects of <em>Pseudomonas koreensis</em> CLP-23 against <em>R. solanacearum</em> under acidic conditions, both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>. <em>P. koreensis</em> CLP-23 had an antagonistic activity against <em>R. solanacearum</em>, with the strongest antagonism at pH 5.5. Additionally, <em>P. koreensis</em> CLP-23 enhanced the plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics, including protease production, indole-3-acetic acid synthesis, and phosphate solubilization, particularly at a pH of 5.5. In pot and field, <em>P. koreensis</em> CLP-23 improved biomass accumulation and enhanced bioccontrol efficacy to tobacco wilt in soils with pH 5.5, respectively. Morover, <em>P. koreensis</em> CLP-23 significantly enhanced phosphatase and urease activities as well as available phosphorus and potassium contents in the rhizosphere soil within 45 d post-inoculation. Our results indicated that an acid-tolerant <em>P. koreensis</em> CLP-23 plays an important role in the tobacco wilt prevention, the process of growth enhancement under acidic soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 105934"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145712311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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