This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: In the journal npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, researchers from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) and the University of São Paulo (USP) describe the role of three bacteria in suppressing a soil-borne wheat pathogen that causes root rot. The study paves the way for the development of inoculants that can be used in agriculture.
"We selected three bacteria from a group we had isolated in a previous study that showed the greatest potential to improve plant growth and exert an antagonistic effect against the pathogen. When we grew wheat in soil containing the bacteria and the pathogen, the fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana, we observed a 60% reduction in disease symptoms compared to treatments with only the pathogen in the soil," says Caroline Sayuri Nishisaka, who conducted the research as part of her doctoral studies. The study also involved researchers from the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA) and the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ), both at USP.
"Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this study is that we didn't observe the elimination of the pathogen, but rather how the presence of these bacteria protects the plant from it. The fungus remained present in similar quantities in the soil of both diseased and healthy plants. What changed was the outcome of the interaction.
The plants inoculated with the bacteria built a kind of microbiological shield that prevented the fungus from causing the disease," summarizes Rodrigo Mendes, a researcher at EMBRAPA Environment and project coordinator. Mendes compares the action of the microbiome, a collection of microorganisms and their byproducts, to that of the human immune system. The immune system eliminates pathogens when the body is healthy, but it becomes vulnerable in situations such as autoimmune diseases and treatments that suppress immune function.
"The presence of these beneficial bacteria reorganized the microbiome in such a way that the opportunistic fungus was kept under control," he explains. The researchers selected three of the most promising bacterial species: Streptomyces virginiae, Paenibacillus ottowii and Pseudomonas inefficax. Despite its name, the latter species was the most effective in controlling the pathogen.
P. inefficax performed best in the soil microbiome, significantly increasing root biomass. Along with S. virginiae, it exhibited the highest abundance of growth-promoting genes in terms of richness and diversity. Additionally, treatments with either of these two bacteria increased biosynthetic gene clusters, which produce potentially beneficial plant compounds.
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