Phytocytokine StPep1-Secreting Bacteria Suppress Potato Powdery Scab Disease

• DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-24-0019-r
• Publication Date: 2024-07-06T17:34:08Z
• Authors: Natalia Moroz; Benjamin Colvin; Samodya Jayasinghe; Cynthia Gleason; Kiwamu Tanaka
• Keywords: Common scab

Powdery scab is an important potato disease caused by the soilborne pathogen Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea. Currently, reliable chemical control and resistant cultivars for powdery are unavailable. As alternative strategy, we propose a novel approach involving effective delivery of phytocytokine to plant roots rhizobacterium Bacillus subtilis. The modified strain designed secrete elicitor peptide StPep1. In our experiments employing hairy root system, observed significant reduction in infection when directly applied StPep1 peptide. Furthermore, pot assay, which involved pretreating with StPep1-secreting B. subtilis, demonstrated substantial decrease symptoms, including reduced galling fewer tuber lesions. These findings underscore potential engineered bacteria as promising strategy safeguarding plants against scab.