Microbial Biocontrol Agents Engineer Plant Biometrics and Host Response Against <i>Xanthomonas oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i> in Rice

Microbial Biocontrol Agents Engineer Plant Biometrics and Host Response Against <i>Xanthomonas oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i> in Rice

Plant-beneficial microbes are a perennial ally in an agroecosystems, providing multiple benefits to crop plants. The present study explored the potential of two microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs), viz., <i>Trichoderma asperellum</i> and <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i>, agains...

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Main Authors: Popy Bora, Sanjay Kumar Chetia, Anwesha Sharma, Shenaz Sultana Ahmed, Pranamika Sharma, Ashok Bhattacharyya, Rupam Borgohain, Mrinal Saikia, Parinda Barua, Milon Jyoti Konwar, Shabrin Sultana Ahmed, Abhisek Rath, Mehjebin Rahman, Bishal Saikia, Trishna Taye, Naseema Rahman, Parveen Khan, Mayuri Baruah, Rituraj Sakia, Arunima Bharali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Microbiology Research
Subjects:
antagonism
bacterial blight
bioagents
defense enzymes
gene expression
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7481/16/7/151
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Summary:Plant-beneficial microbes are a perennial ally in an agroecosystems, providing multiple benefits to crop plants. The present study explored the potential of two microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs), viz., <i>Trichoderma asperellum</i> and <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i>, against the bacterial blight pathogen of rice, <i>Xanthomonas oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i>. In vitro, MBCAs resulted in significant inhibition of <i>X. oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i>, as evidenced through the distortion of pathogen cell morphology and formation of a pathogen biofilm. Pot studies on the effect of MBCAs in rice showed increased germination, increased vigor index of seedlings, increased tiller numbers, a 10.29% reduction in percentage disease incidence (PDI), and low disease severity following individual inoculation. Activity of plant defense enzymes also increased with MBCA treatment (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, 2.7-fold increase; peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase, 5-fold increase), establishing the priming effect of MBCAs on host defense. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction data revealed that pathogenesis-related genes (<i>OsPR1a</i>, <i>OsPR1b</i>, and <i>OsPR10a</i>) and <i>X. oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i> resistance genes (<i>Xa1</i> and <i>Xa26</i>) were upregulated 4- to 14-fold in MBCA-treated rice plants over control plants. These results provide insights into the phenological, physiological, and molecular responses of rice crops treated with MBCAs in the presence of <i>X. oryzae</i> pv. <i>oryzae</i> and could be used to develop an effective field management strategy.
ISSN:2036-7481

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