Bacillus thuringiensis promotes systemic immunity in tomato, controlling pests and pathogens and promoting yield

• DOI: 10.1007/s12571-024-01441-4
• Publication Date: 2024-04-27T06:02:51Z
• Authors: Rupali Gupta; Ravindran Keppanan; Meirav Leibman-Ma...; Sabina Matveev; Dalia Rav-David; Ran Shulhani; Yigal Elad; Dana Ment; Maya Bar
• Keywords: Bacillus thuringiensis; Biopesticide; Biosafety; Plant disease

Abstract Plant pathogens and pests pose an increasing threat to worldwide food security. To improve strengthen security under increasingly difficult environmental, economic, geopolitical conditions, the prospect of using microbial biocontrol agents becomes desirable. One most studied, commercially used, biopesticide microorganisms is entomopathogenic, gram-positive, soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). While Bt has been known for many years as insecticidal microorganism used extensively in agriculture, its possible anti-phytopathogen plant growth-promoting activities have received comparatively limited attention thus far. Here, we examine ability promote systemic immunity tomato plants. We investigate how influences disease resistance against several fungal bacterial pathogens, well arthropod pests. In order determine which component (i.e., spores or pure crystals) responsible observed effects on pests, dissected different fractions present a commercial preparation assessed their pest pathogen control. As previously reported literature, our results indicate that proteins produced by are likely primary acting components case however, it appears both directly act such fungus Botrytis cinerea . Spores also induce immunity. Understanding mode action mechanisms will help developing cost-effective safe protection strategies enhancing Taken together, findings suggest could be broad-spectrum management strategies. Pending validation agricultural settings, products market additional uses sustainable growth promotion.