Cucumber wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum (Foc) is a highly destructive disease that leads to reduced yield in cucumbers. In this study, strain YB-04 was isolated from wheat straw and identified as Bacillus subtilis. It displayed strong antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum in dual culture and exhibited significant biocontrol of cucumber Fusarium wilt with a higher control effect than those of previously reported Bacillus strains and displayed pronounced growth promotion of cucumber seedlings. B. subtilis YB-04 could secrete extracellular protease, amylase, cellulose, and β-1,3-glucanase and be able to produce siderophores and indole acetic acid. Inoculation with B. subtilis YB-04 or Foc increased cucumber defense-related enzyme activities for PPO, SOD, CAT, PAL, and LOX. However, the greatest increase was with the combination of B. subtilis YB-04 and Foc. Sequencing the genome of B. subtilis YB-04 showed that it had genes for the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites, carbohydrate-active enzymes, and assimilation of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. B. subtilis YB-04 appears to be a promising biological control agent against the Fusarium wilt of cucumber and promotes cucumber growth by genomic, physiological, and phenotypic analysis.
Keywords: Bacillus subitilis; Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum; biocontrol agent; genome sequencing and assembly; growth promotion.
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