Microbial Interactions as a Sustainable Tool for Enhancing PGPR Antagonism against Phytopathogenic Fungi

Ana M. Santos, Ana Soares, João Luz, Carlos Cordeiro, Marta Sousa Silva, Teresa Dias, Juliana Melo, Cristina Cruz () and Luís Carvalho
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Ana M. Santos: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Ana Soares: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
João Luz: Laboratório de FTICR e Espectrometria de Massa Estrutural, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Carlos Cordeiro: Laboratório de FTICR e Espectrometria de Massa Estrutural, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Marta Sousa Silva: Laboratório de FTICR e Espectrometria de Massa Estrutural, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Teresa Dias: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Juliana Melo: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Cristina Cruz: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Luís Carvalho: cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & Change—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Microbial interactions, which regulate the dynamics of eco- and agrosystems, can be harnessed to enhance antagonism against phytopathogenic fungi in agriculture. This study tests the hypothesis that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can also be potential biological control agents (BCAs). Antifungal activity assays against potentially phytopathogenic fungi were caried out using cultures and cell-free filtrates of nine PGPR strains previously isolated from agricultural soils. Cultures of Bacillus sp. BS36 inhibited the growth of Alternaria sp. AF12 and Fusarium sp. AF68 by 74 and 65%, respectively. Cell-free filtrates of the same strain also inhibited the growth of both fungi by 54 and 14%, respectively. Furthermore, the co-cultivation of Bacillus sp. BS36 with Pseudomonas sp. BS95 and the target fungi improved their antifungal activity. A subsequent metabolomic analysis using Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) identified fengycin- and surfactin-like lipopeptides (LPs) in the Bacillus sp. BS36 cell-free filtrates, which could explain their antifungal activity. The co-production of multiple families of LPs by Bacillus sp. BS36 is an interesting feature with potential practical applications. These results highlight the potential of the PGPR strain Bacillus sp. BS36 to work as a BCA and the need for more integrative approaches to develop biocontrol tools more accessible and adoptable by farmers.

Keywords: Alternaria sp.; Bacillus; biocontrol; co-culture; Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry; Fusarium sp.; lipopeptides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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