Bacteria that are resistant to fungi can protect wheat

Bacteria that reside in beneficial flowers will soon participate in the prevention of Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that causes 'scab' fungus in wheat, barley and other cereal crops.

According to plant pathologist David Schisler of the US Department of Agriculture (ARS), naturally occurring bacteria can compete with F. graminearum on nutrients secreted from the anther of wheat plants. .

One of these nutrients is choline which is rich in carbon that both bacteria and fungi need to grow. Micro fungus. F. graminearum is also derived from choline as a chemical marker to transfer a pathogen into the anther tissues. At the ARS Crop Biological Protection Research Agency in Peoria, Schisler noted that economically, farmers feel critical when these fungal intrusions make the grain white and cramped. Bacteria do not cause harm to wheat and are not dangerous to consumers.

Bacteria that reside in beneficial flowers can provide cereals with a protective function against Fusarium graminearum, also known as scab. (Photo: Center for Plant Biological Protection Research)

In greenhouse studies and field experiments, Schisler and plant pathologist Mike Boehm of Ohio State University have increased the amount of natural bacteria in wheat by using Use of laboratory culture techniques after plants start to flower. This has brought bacteria to an advanced standard in the consumption of choline, so there will be less nutrition for the fungus to have a chance to grow.

In tests, beneficial microbial spray formulations on two commercial rice crop plots reduced the severity of scaly fungi by 63%.

The Pseudomonas species named AS 64.4 are the best comprehensive antagonistic bacteria on 123 varieties of choline (choline-metabolizing-CM) metabolic bacteria that researchers initially isolated from wheat anther and Test function to prevent fungal scab in the laboratory.

As a result, choline (CM) metabolism lines can participate in other antifungal antagonists that Schisler's team has studied, including yeast and bacteria that secrete antibiotics. Schisler envisions combining these antagonistic bacteria in a bio-pesticide formula so that farmers can spray on wheat, in addition to a method that protects against fungal scab.