Versatile role of Bacillus velezensis: Biocontrol of Fusarium poae and wireworms and barley plant growth promotion

The major losses in cereal production are most commonly caused by phytopathogenic fungi and insect larvae, indicating the need for sustainable pest control management. Although bacterial bioinoculants offer an eco-friendly alternative for plant protection and growth promotion (PGP), their effects on...

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Main Authors: Magdalena Knežević, Marina Dervišević, Marina Jovković, Galina Jevđenović, Jelena Maksimović, Aneta Buntić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Biological Control
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425000994
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Summary:The major losses in cereal production are most commonly caused by phytopathogenic fungi and insect larvae, indicating the need for sustainable pest control management. Although bacterial bioinoculants offer an eco-friendly alternative for plant protection and growth promotion (PGP), their effects on Fusaium poae and Agriotes lineatus larvae have not been comprehensively studied yet. To find an effective biological control agent against these pests, Bacillus strains were isolated from soil and tested for PGP and biocontrol traits, including the presence of antibiotic and toxin-coding genes. Out of eleven strains, B. velezensis BHC 5.6 showed a wide range of PGP and biocontrol abilities, while the presence of fenD, bmyB, srfAA, spaS genes was also detected. Only two strains, P. megaterium BHC 5.5 and B. velezensis BHC 5.6, showed antifungal effect against F. poae with inhibition percentage of 62% and 67%, respectively. The highest insecticidal effect against wireworms was recorded for B. velezensis BHC 5.6 (56.67%) and B. safensis BHC 11.4 (43.33%). The PGP activity of B. velezensis BHC 5.6 was also confirmed in a pot experiment, where an increment of barley yield was recorded both for infected (17.09%) and uninfected barley seeds (10.12%). This is the first time demonstrating that the B. velezensis BHC 5.6 could be used for integrated pest management of F. poae and A. lineatus larvae in barley and for plant growth promoting. Therefore, the implementation of this strain could contribute to the food safety in sustainable agricultural practices.
ISSN:1049-9644