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Biomolecules
Special Issues
Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions
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Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 3283

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shahzad Munir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bioresources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Interests: plant-microbe interactions; biological control of phytopathogens; quorum sensing; microbiome manipulation; plant and microbial metabolites against pathogens; endophytic microbiome for fruit and plant diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial biocontrol involves the use of microorganisms and their microbial products to suppress plant pathogens, thereby enhancing plant health and productivity. This approach leverages the natural interactions between plants and microbes, including beneficial bacteria and fungi, to create a more resilient agricultural ecosystem. Effective microbial biocontrol agents can outcompete pathogens for resources, produce antimicrobial compounds, and induce systemic resistance in plants. Plant–microbe interactions are complex and can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful. Beneficial interactions often involve endophytic and rhizospheric microbes, which enhance nutrient uptake and improve plant stress tolerance. These interactions can also stimulate plant growth and enhance resistance to diseases.

This Special Issue aims to integrate the application of microbial biocontrol, which is gaining more attention as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, aligning with the principles of integrated pest management. By harnessing beneficial plant–microbe interactions, agricultural practices can reduce dependency on synthetic chemicals, promote biodiversity, and improve soil health, ultimately leading to sustainable and productive farming systems. Advanced research into these interactions is essential for optimizing microbial biocontrol strategies and understanding their mechanisms of action.

Dr. Shahzad Munir
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endophytic microbiome for disease management
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • plant–insect–pathogen interactions
  • microbial and plant metabolites against pathogens
  • pathogen signaling
  • microbial communities shift for disease prevention
  • omics approaches
  • abiotic stress response

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3351 KiB  
Article
Fungal Warriors: Effects of Beauveria bassiana and Purpureocillium lilacinum on CCYV-Carrying Whiteflies
by Dan Zhai, Hang Lu, Suyao Liu, Jialei Liu, Wanyu Zhang, Jingjing Wu, Jingjing Li, Rune Bai, Fengming Yan and Chenchen Zhao
Biomolecules 2025, 15(4), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15040593 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 245
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci is a major agricultural pest that affects both greenhouse and field crops by feeding on plant sap, which impairs plant growth, and by secreting honeydew, promotes sooty mold growth that further reduces photosynthesis. Additionally, these insects are vectors for viruses such [...] Read more.
Bemisia tabaci is a major agricultural pest that affects both greenhouse and field crops by feeding on plant sap, which impairs plant growth, and by secreting honeydew, promotes sooty mold growth that further reduces photosynthesis. Additionally, these insects are vectors for viruses such as the cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV), which causes significant damage to cucurbit crops. Traditional chemical pesticide treatments have limitations, including the development of resistance, harm to non-target organisms, and environmental contamination. Traditional chemical pesticides have limitations when it comes to controlling plants infested by CCYV and whitefly. However, the underlying reasons for these limitations remain unclear, as does the impact of entomopathogenic fungi on whitefly responses. This study explores the potential of using biological control agents, specifically Beauveria bassiana and Purpureocillium lilacinum, to manage whitefly populations and control CCYV transmission. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the pathogenicity of these fungi on non/viruliferous whitefly. The results indicated that both fungi effectively reduced whitefly populations, with B. bassiana showing particularly strong adverse effects. Whiteflies infected with CCYV exhibited a higher LC50 to B. bassiana and P. lilacinum. Furthermore, bio-pesticides significantly altered the bacterial microbiome dynamics of the whitefly. Interestingly, CCYV increased the susceptibility of whiteflies to entomopathogenic fungus. The findings suggest that these biocontrol agents offer a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. Our study unraveled a new horizon for the multiple interaction theories among bio-pesticides–insects–symbionts–viruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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15 pages, 4878 KiB  
Article
Biocontrol Mechanism of Bacillus thuringiensis GBAC46 Against Diseases and Pests Caused by Fusarium verticillioides and Spodoptera frugiperda
by Zhao Liang, Qurban Ali, Huijun Wu, Qin Gu, Xin Liu, Houjun Sun and Xuewen Gao
Biomolecules 2025, 15(4), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15040519 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is widely recognized as the most important microbial pesticide controlling various insect pests and diseases due to its insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) and antimicrobial metabolites. The current study investigates the biocontrol potential of B. thuringiensis GBAC46 against the [...] Read more.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is widely recognized as the most important microbial pesticide controlling various insect pests and diseases due to its insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) and antimicrobial metabolites. The current study investigates the biocontrol potential of B. thuringiensis GBAC46 against the fungal pathogen Fusarium verticillioides and the insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda through multiple mechanisms. Phenotypic experiments revealed that GBAC46 effectively inhibited F. verticillioides growth by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and showed enhanced larvicidal activity against second instar S. frugiperda larvae. Pot experiments showed that feeding by S. frugiperda enhanced F. verticillioides infection in maize. The Bt strain GBAC46 effectively controlled both pests and diseases in greenhouse maize seedlings. Applying the Bt strain GBAC46 reduced feeding damage from S. frugiperda, decreased leaf yellowing and wilting caused by F. verticillioides, and improved growth indicators such as plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight. RT-qPCR results revealed that the Bt strain GBAC46 induced key defense genes in maize involved in activating salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene pathways. The overall study demonstrated and confirmed the GBAC46 strain as a promising microbial agent for disease and pest management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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16 pages, 3547 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Role of OsCBM1 in Rice Defense Against Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae
by Shuaijun Bie, Youlun Xiao, Li Zhang, Yong Liu, Xiaomin He, Jing Peng, Hongjun Xie, Yang Gao, Xiaojuan Li, Xinqiu Tan, Renyan Huang and Deyong Zhang
Biomolecules 2025, 15(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15020287 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 642
Abstract
Carbohydrate-binding malectin/malectin-like domain-containing proteins (CBMs) represent a newly discovered subclass of lectins that participate in various biological processes across the bacterial, animal, and plant kingdoms. The OsCBM1 gene in rice enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, contributing to drought-stress tolerance. Nonetheless, the functions [...] Read more.
Carbohydrate-binding malectin/malectin-like domain-containing proteins (CBMs) represent a newly discovered subclass of lectins that participate in various biological processes across the bacterial, animal, and plant kingdoms. The OsCBM1 gene in rice enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, contributing to drought-stress tolerance. Nonetheless, the functions of OsCBM1 in response to biotic stress remain poorly understood. In this research, we discovered that OsCBM1 was activated by Xoo infection, and overexpression of OsCBM1 increased rice resistance to bacterial blight, while suppression of its expression shows the opposite trend. OsCBM1 may influence resistance to bacterial blight by regulating ROS burst and the SA signaling pathway through RNA-seq analysis. Overexpression of OsCBM1 increased SA content and enhanced activities of SOD, POD, and CAT enzymes, whereas knockdown of OsCBM1 exhibited the opposite trend. The expression of genes associated with the SA and enzyme activity pathways was validated through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). These results further clarify the function of OsCBM1 in biotic stress resistance, providing references for disease-resistant rice breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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18 pages, 7755 KiB  
Article
Microbiome Analysis of Area in Proximity to White Spot Lesions Reveals More Harmful Plant Pathogens in Maize
by Sauban Musa Jibril, Yanping Hu, Kexin Yang, Jie Wu, Chengyun Li and Yi Wang
Biomolecules 2025, 15(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15020252 - 9 Feb 2025
Viewed by 705
Abstract
Plant microbiomes play a major role in plant health, growth, and development, enhancing resistance to pathogen invasion. However, despite the extensive research on the phyllosphere microbiome, it remains unclear how the microbiome of leaves in proximity to diseased leaves responds to pathogen invasion. [...] Read more.
Plant microbiomes play a major role in plant health, growth, and development, enhancing resistance to pathogen invasion. However, despite the extensive research on the phyllosphere microbiome, it remains unclear how the microbiome of leaves in proximity to diseased leaves responds to pathogen invasion. We investigate the response of the maize phyllosphere microbiome to maize white spot by assessing the microbiome dynamics associated with the white spot portion and the area in proximity using 16S and ITS high-throughput sequencing analysis. Our results showed that the bacterial diversities were higher in the diseased portion and area in proximity to the spot than those in healthy plants. At the same time, lower fungal diversity was recorded in the diseased portion compared to portions in proximity to it and healthy leaves. The spot portion had a significant influence on the microbial composition. The diseased portion, the area in proximity to it, and the healthy leaves were dominated by the bacterial genera Sphingomonas, Delftia, Chryseobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Methylobacterium-methylorubrum, and Bacteroides. Still, the abundance of Sphingomonas decreased in the healthy leaves with a corresponding increase in Stenotrophomonas. Conversely, the fungal genus Setophoma dominated the diseased portion, while the fungal pathogens Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Exserohilum were highly abundant in the samples from the area in proximity to it. In addition, a co-occurrence network analysis revealed a complex fungal network in healthy leaves and those in proximity to leaves infected with white spot compared to the diseased portion. This study suggests that the area in proximity to the maize leaf infected with white spot disease is colonized by more harmful plant pathogenic fungi for disease progression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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18 pages, 6711 KiB  
Article
Insight into Antifungal Metabolites from Bacillus stercoris 92p Against Banana Cordana Leaf Spot Caused by Neocordana musae
by Qunfang Yu, Pengbo He, Yanxiang Qi, Pengfei He, Ayesha Ahmed, Xin Zhang, He Zhang, Yixin Wu, Shahzad Munir and Yueqiu He
Biomolecules 2024, 14(12), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14121495 - 24 Nov 2024
Viewed by 971
Abstract
Banana crop ranks among the most crucial fruit and food crops in tropical and subtropical areas. Despite advancements in production technology, diseases such as cordana leaf spot, caused by Neocordana musae, remain a significant challenge, reducing productivity and quality. Traditional chemical controls [...] Read more.
Banana crop ranks among the most crucial fruit and food crops in tropical and subtropical areas. Despite advancements in production technology, diseases such as cordana leaf spot, caused by Neocordana musae, remain a significant challenge, reducing productivity and quality. Traditional chemical controls are becoming less effective due to the development of resistance in target pathogens, which pose significant environmental and health concerns. Consequently, there is growing attention toward the development of biocontrol strategies. Here, we identified a new bacterial strain, Bacillus stercoris 92p, from the rhizosphere soil of banana. We evaluated its ability to suppress the growth of N. musae and other fungal pathogens that cause leaf spot disease in bananas. The inhibitory effect of B. stercoris 92p were checked using dual culture assays, microscopic observations, and pot experiments. Furthermore, the biocontrol mechanisms were investigated using whole-genome sequencing and biochemical analyses. The results showed that B. stercoris 92p exhibited significant antifungal activity against N. musae and other fungal pathogens, with inhibition rates exceeding 70%. Microscopic examination revealed significant morphological alterations in the hyphae and conidia of the tested pathogens. In pot experiments, B. stercoris 92p effectively reduced the severity of cordana leaf spot, achieving a biocontrol efficacy of 61.55%. Genomic analysis and biochemical tests indicated that B. stercoris 92p produces various antifungal compounds, including lipopeptides (fengycins and surfactins), hydrolytic enzymes (proteases and amylases), and phosphate-solubilizing metabolites. In conclusion, the study highlights that B. stercoris could potentially be used as a potential biological control agent against cordana leaf spot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biocontrol and Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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