Biocontrol of Plant Diseases Using Beneficial Microorganisms and Their Derivatives: From Perception to Mode of Action

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 August 2020) | Viewed by 14163

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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Feeding nine billion people by 2050 represents a huge challenge. In addition to an increase in food production, we need to significantly improve the resilience of food production to face detrimental environmental impacts. Today, conventional agriculture is particularly dependent on chemicals to control crop diseases. Nevertheless, many of these products are now being phased out because of concerns about their environmental impact and safety, or the resistance developed by the targeted organisms.

Enhancing resistance is one of the most potential agronomic strategies to prevent biotic losses in crops. Plants provide an excellent ecosystem for microorganisms that interact with plant cells and tissues with differing degrees of dependence. During the past couple of decades, the use of microbial biological control agents (MBCAs) for a sustainable agriculture has increased tremendously in various parts of the world. MBCAs have been shown to mediate enhanced resistance to biotic stressors and increase tolerance to abiotic stresses in host plants through different modes of action.

The present issue will present state-of-the-art research results, visions, and theories, as well as specific methods for sustainable plant diseases management in changing climatic conditions. Submissions on (but not limited to) the plant–microbe interaction are invited to foster knowledge by understanding the biocontrol mechanisms on the plant host through: (i) increasing the fundamental insight into the underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in the tripartite interactions between MBCAs and their derivatives, pathogens, and plants under climate change mitigation: What are the modes of action of beneficial microorganisms? How do the plants react? (ii) studying the interaction between genetic background of the plant host and the MBCA-induced resistance; and (iii) elucidating the impact of changing environmental conditions on biocontrol performance. This issue will be useful not only for students, teachers, and researchers but also for those interested in agriculture microbiology, plant pathology, biological control, environmental science, and agronomy.

Prof. Essaid Ait Barka
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Screening and characterization of microbial biological control agents
  • Microbial sensing
  • Microbial biological control agent-induced resistance
  • Microbial ecology
  • Unravelling plant–pathogen–microbial biological control agent(s) interaction
  • Toward sustainable agriculture management

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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15 pages, 1768 KiB  
Article
Improving the Biocontrol Potential of Bacterial Antagonists with Salicylic Acid against Brown Rot Disease and Impact on Nectarine Fruits Quality
by Nadia Lyousfi, Rachid Lahlali, Chaimaa Letrib, Zineb Belabess, Rachida Ouaabou, Said Ennahli, Abdelali Blenzar and Essaid Ait Barka
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020209 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3528
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of both antagonistic bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SF14) and Alcaligenes faecalis (ACBC1) used in combination with salicylic acid (SA) to effectively control brown rot disease caused by Monilinia fructigena. Four concentrations of [...] Read more.
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of both antagonistic bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SF14) and Alcaligenes faecalis (ACBC1) used in combination with salicylic acid (SA) to effectively control brown rot disease caused by Monilinia fructigena. Four concentrations of salicylic acid (0.5%, 2%, 3.5%, and 5%) were tested under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Furthermore, the impact of biological treatments on nectarine fruit parameters’ quality, in particular, weight loss, titratable acidity, and soluble solids content, was evaluated. Regardless of the bacterium, the results indicated that all combined treatments displayed a strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of M. fructigena and disease severity. Interestingly, all SA concentrations significantly improved the biocontrol activity of each antagonist. The mycelial growth inhibition rate ranged from 9.79% to 88.02% with the highest reduction rate recorded for bacterial antagonists in combination with SA at both concentrations of 0.5% and 3.5%. The in vivo results confirmed the in vitro results with a disease severity varying from 0.00% to 51.91%. A significant biocontrol improvement was obtained with both antagonistic bacteria when used in combination with SA at concentrations of 0.5% and 2%. The lowest disease severity observed with ACBC1 compared with SF14 is likely due to a rapid adaptation and increase of antagonistic bacteria population in wounded sites. The impact of all biological treatments revealed moderate significant changes in the fruit quality parameters with weight loss for several treatments. These results suggest that the improved disease control of both antagonistic bacteria was more likely directly linked to both the inhibitory effects of SA on pathogen growth and induced fruit resistance. Full article
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19 pages, 1963 KiB  
Article
The Potential of Novel Bacterial Isolates from Natural Soil for the Control of Brown Rot Disease (Monilinia fructigena) on Apple Fruits
by Rachid Lahlali, Ouafae Mchachti, Nabil Radouane, Said Ezrari, Zineb Belabess, Slimane Khayi, Rachid Mentag, Abdessalem Tahiri and Essaid Ait Barka
Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1814; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111814 - 18 Nov 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4323
Abstract
Monilinia fructigena is one of the most important fungal pathogens causing brown rot on apple and is heavily affecting fruit production. The main objective of this study was to screen for potential bacterial isolates with higher antagonistic activity against M. fructigena. Our [...] Read more.
Monilinia fructigena is one of the most important fungal pathogens causing brown rot on apple and is heavily affecting fruit production. The main objective of this study was to screen for potential bacterial isolates with higher antagonistic activity against M. fructigena. Our study focused on the identification of potential bacterial isolates capable of reducing both the mycelial growth of M. fructigena and the disease severity using in vitro and in planta trials, respectively. To achieve this goal, thirteen bacteria, isolated from natural soil, were evaluated for their abilities to produce lytic enzymes (amylase, cellulase and protease), hydrocyanic acid (HCN) and lipopeptides (bacillomycin, fengycin, iturin and surfactin). Further, results from the dual culture method, volatile and bacterial free-cell filtrate bioassays indicated that tested isolates showed a fungicidal activity against the mycelial growth of M. fructigena. Thus, out of the 13 isolates tested, 12 exhibited significant mycelial inhibition (more than 70%) against M. fructigena, while remaining the last isolate displayed only a partial inhibition (up to 43%). Further, 12 of the bacteria isolates displayed an amylase production, 10 showed cellulase production, 11 revealed protease production, while only 2 displayed HCN production. In addition, most bacterial isolates were found to have genes encoding for different lipopeptides: bacillomycin (10), fengycin (3), iturin (11) and surfactin (1). Interestingly, two bacterial isolates, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10W10 and Pseudomonas sp. B11W11 were found to be the most effective and displayed the lowest disease severity in planta trial. These two bacteria reduced the brown rot incidence compared to the synthetic fungicide in a semi-commercial large-scale trial. Therefore, our findings suggest that these two later bacterial isolates provide apple protection against M. fructigena via direct and indirect mechanisms. These isolates may be used, therefore, as potential biological control agents (BCAs) in preventive treatment to control brown rot disease on apple fruits. Full article
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11 pages, 1462 KiB  
Case Report
Biocontrol of Crown Gall by Rhizobium rhizogenes: Challenges in Biopesticide Commercialisation
by Allen Kerr and Gary Bullard
Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10081126 - 3 Aug 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5199
Abstract
The biocontrol of crown gall has been practised in Australia for 48 years. Control is so efficient that it is difficult to find a galled stone fruit tree, when previously, crown gall had been a major problem. This paper explains how it works [...] Read more.
The biocontrol of crown gall has been practised in Australia for 48 years. Control is so efficient that it is difficult to find a galled stone fruit tree, when previously, crown gall had been a major problem. This paper explains how it works and why only pathogens are inhibited. A commercial biopesticide is available in Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Turkey, the USA, South Africa and Japan. The challenges of commercialising a biopesticide are outlined. Rigid regulations are preventing the wider use of biocontrol organisms. Full article
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