Antifungal action and induction of resistance by Bacillus sp. strain YYC 155 against Colletotrichum fructicola for control of anthracnose disease in Camellia oleifera

Aiting Zhou; Fang Wang; Jiabi Yin; Ruiqi Peng; Jia Deng; Dezhou Shen; Jianrong Wu; Xiaoyun Liu; Huancheng Ma

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.956642

Antifungal action and induction of resistance by Bacillus sp. strain YYC 155 against Colletotrichum fructicola for control of anthracnose disease in Camellia oleifera

Front Microbiol. 2022 Aug 25:13:956642. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.956642. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Aiting Zhou¹, Fang Wang^{1

2}, Jiabi Yin³, Ruiqi Peng⁴, Jia Deng¹, Dezhou Shen³, Jianrong Wu^{1

4}, Xiaoyun Liu², Huancheng Ma¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China.
² Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity Research and Application of Hebei Province, School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
³ Dehong Forestry and Grassland Bureau, Dehong, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control in Universities of Yunnan Province, College of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China.

Abstract

Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola is a serious disease that can afflict Camellia oleifera. Biological control is a rapidly growing approach for the management of plant diseases. In this study, we investigated the bio-control efficiency and the defense responses of an endophytic Bacillus tequilensis strain YYC 155, which was isolated from the root nodules of the Crotalaria pallida against anthracnose disease, caused by C. fructicola in C. oleifera. B. tequilensis YYC 155 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against anthracnose disease, caused by C. fructicola in C. oleifera. YYC 155 can secrete extracellular hydrolases, such as chitinase and β-1, 3-glucanase, which produce lipopeptides that are antimicrobial and forms strong biofilms. In addition, in treatment with YYC 155, the cell membranes of C. fructicola were injured and the leakage of cell contents from the mycelia of the pathogen was increased. Spraying 1 × 10⁷ cells mL^-1 bacterial suspension of YYC 155 on C. oleifera leaves enhanced the activity of key enzymes in C. oleifera associated with the phenylpropanoid pathway and increased the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Results of our study indicate that B. tequilensis YYC 155 may potentially represent an effective biocontrol agent against anthracnose disease in C. oleifera.

Keywords: Camellia oleifera; Colletotrichum fructicola; anthracnose; biological control; endophytic bacteria.