Defeating Huanglongbing Pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus With Indigenous Citrus Endophyte Bacillus subtilis L1-21

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.789065
• Publication Date: 2022-01-21T05:58:44Z
• Authors: Shahzad Munir; Yongmei Li; Pengbo He; Pengfei He; Pengjie He; Wenyan Cui; Yixin Wu; Xingyu Li; Qi Li; Sixiang Zhang; Yangsu Xiong; Zhanjun Lu; Wenbiao Wang; Kexian Zong; Yongchao Yang; Shaocong Yang; Chan Mu; Heming Wen; Yuehu Wang; Jun Guo; Samantha C. Karun...; Yueqiu He
• Keywords: Endophyte

Huanglongbing (HLB) has turned into a devastating botanical pandemic of citrus crops, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). However, until now the disease remained incurable with very limited control strategies available. Restoration affected microbiomes in diseased host through introduction an indigenous endophyte Bacillus subtilis L1-21 isolated from healthy may provide innovative approach for management. A novel half-leaf method was developed vitro to test efficacy against CLas. Application B. at 104 colony forming unit (cfu ml-1) resulted 1,000-fold reduction CLas copies per gram leaf midrib (107 104) 4 days. In HLB-affected orchards over period 2 years, incidence reduced < 3%, and declined 109 g-1 midribs treated trees. Reduction corroborate direct or indirect biocontrol effect endophytes as red fluorescent protein-labeled colonized shared niche (phloem) This is first large-scale study establishing sustainable HLB strategy endophytic microbiome restructuring using endophyte.