article · Life
Sheath blight, caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, causes substantial yield reductions in rice crops. Evaluating four non-pathogenic Pseudomonas bacterial isolates revealed their capacity to stimulate plant growth and induce defence mechanisms against this infection. In laboratory assessments, the bacteria produced the plant growth hormone indole acetic acid. Applying Pseudomonas putida as a seed treatment achieved an eighty-nine per cent germination rate, noticeably higher than untreated controls. When applied to rice plants, the bacterial isolates lowered the disease index to thirty-seven per cent, matching the effectiveness of the synthetic fungicide carbendazim. Treated plants also displayed significant gains in height, fresh weight, and dry weight. The treatments stimulated defensive enzymes, specifically peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase, and triggered the expression of defence-related genes, indicating active immune responses.
Sheath blight leads to severe crop losses in rice cultivation, often necessitating the use of synthetic fungicides. Demonstrating that beneficial bacteria can control the fungal pathogen as effectively as conventional chemical treatments while simultaneously boosting plant growth offers an environmentally sustainable path towards protecting staple food crops and supporting agricultural productivity.
The findings suggest potential applications for agricultural input manufacturers developing microbial biocontrol agents and biofertilisers for rice growers. Because the isolates were evaluated in laboratory and controlled inoculation settings alongside a standard chemical fungicide, the technology appears to be at an applied research stage. Moving towards commercial use would require formal formulation development and real-world field trials.
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Sheath blight disease is a fungal pathogen that causes leaf blight in rice plants, resulting in significant yield losses throughout the growing season. <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. have long been used as biocontrol agents for a variety of plant diseases. Four <i>Pseudomonas</i> isolates were tested for their ability to promote rice growth and generate systemic resistance to <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>, the causal pathogen of sheath blight disease. In vitro, <i>Pseudomonas</i> isolates produced the growth hormone indole acetic acid (0.82-1.82 mg L<sup>-1</sup>). Additionally, seed treatment with <i>Pseudomonas putida</i> suspension outperformed <i>P. brassicacearum</i>, <i>P. aeruginosa</i> and <i>P. resinovorans</i> in terms of germination and vigor evaluation. The maximum seed germination of 89% was recorded after seed treatments with a fresh suspension of <i>P. putida</i>, followed by 87% germination in <i>P. aeruginosa</i> treatment, compared with only 74% germination in the untreated controls. When compared with the infected control plants, all <i>Pseudomonas</i> isolates were non-pathogenic to rice and their co-inoculation considerably enhanced plant growth and health by reducing the disease index to 37% and improving plant height (26%), fresh weight (140%) and dry weight (100%). All <i>Pseudomonas</i> isolates effectively reduced sheath blight disease incidence, as well as the fungicide carbendazim, which is recommended for field management of <i>R. solani</i>. In comparison to untreated control seedlings, treatment with <i>Pseudomonas</i> isolates enhanced the production of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes and the expression of the <i>phenylalanine ammonia lyase</i> (<i>PAL</i>) and <i>NPR1</i> genes, which could be involved in disease incidence reduction. In conclusion, the use of <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. has been demonstrated to improve rice growth and resistance to <i>R. solani</i> while also providing an environmentally acceptable option to the agroecosystems.
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DOI: 10.3390/life12030349
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