Inhibition of Botrytis cinerea and Escherichia coli by Lactic Acid Bacteria on Leafy Vegetables

Beata Kowalska (), Magdalena Szczech and Anna Lisek
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Beata Kowalska: Department of Microbiology and Rhizosphere, The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland
Magdalena Szczech: Department of Microbiology and Rhizosphere, The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland
Anna Lisek: Cultivar Testing, Nursery and Gene Bank Resources Department, The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: The evaluation of the potentiality of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from fermented products to inhibit Botrytis cinerea and Escherichia coli O157:H7 growth on spinach and lettuce was conducted. From a total of forty LAB strains tested, three were selected due to their high inhibitory effect on plant pathogenic fungi. The identification of these isolates based on a 16S rRNA gene fragment sequence analysis confirmed the genus of Levilactobacillus sp. and Lactiplantibacillus sp. An effective method of coating LAB isolates on the lettuce and spinach surface was developed. The leaves were immersed in bacterial suspension (5.0 × 10 6 cfu mL −1 ) for 4 s and drained on tissue paper. LAB survived on lettuce and spinach leaves for 8 days at 6 log 10 cfu g −1 . Additionally, these bacteria decreased the number of filamentous fungi on the leaves. These isolates were found to inhibit the growth of B. cinerea and E. coli O157:H7 in vitro conditions in growing microbiological media. Their efficacy was confirmed in vivo conditions. These isolates inhibited the development of grey mould caused by B. cinerea on lettuce leaves. Two LAB isolates reduced the abundance of the pathogenic bacterium E. coli on spinach leaves by about 0.7 log 10 cfu g −1 . In glasshouse conditions, LAB stimulated the growth of examined plants. The lactic acid bacteria used in this study showed the capacity to be used as possible alternatives to chemical compounds in the protection of leafy vegetables against grey mould and for a decrease in E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Keywords: grey mould; pathogenic bacteria; biocontrol; spinach; lettuce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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