Immunoassay‐based Techniques for Early and Specific Detection of Latent Postharvest Anthracnose in Mango

The postharvest anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides inciting latent or quiescent infection of mango was detected in early stages using immunoassay methods. Twenty‐five pathotypes isolated from different agroclimatic zones of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Pondicherry, India, revealed the variation in protein profile analysis (SDS‐PAGE). The polyclonal antibodies (PCA) were raised against the unfractioned mycelial protein (UMP) and a 40‐kDa polypeptide present in all pathotypes. Standardization of antigen and antiserum dilutions revealed that an antigen dilution of 1 : 200 (protein concentration of 20 μg/ml) and antiserum dilution of 1 : 100 (protein concentration of 40 μg/ml raised against UMP) and 1 : 200 (protein concentration of 20 μg/ml raised against 40 kDa polypeptide) was found to be optimum for the detection of anthracnose pathogen. Both antisera detected the C. gloeosporioides antigen in enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), dot immunobinding assays (DIBAs) and Western blots. The specificity in reaction was compared by isolating other Colletotrichum spp. from various hosts viz., C. lindemuthianum (beans), C. falcatum (sugarcane), C. musae (banana), C. capsici (chillies) and Botryodiplodia theobromae (mango). The antisera generated against UMP revealed the cross‐reaction with other host isolates and mango stem end rot pathogen (B. theobromae). The PCA raised against 40‐kDa polypeptide exhibited the specific reaction with C. gloeosporioides isolates in all the immunoassay techniques. By utilizing both PCA, the presence of latent infection was observed in healthy‐looking leaves, flowers and fruits in orchard conditions. The fruit tissues recorded high absorbance values followed by flowers and leaves in all the detection methods. The ELISA technique was also useful in assessing the pathogen inoculum at various biocontrol formulations sprayed mango trees under field conditions. The fluorescent pseudomonad strains mixture (KFP1 + FP7) amended with chitin sprayed at 30‐day intervals revealed the significant reduction in pathogen load than other formulations and unsprayed control.     

A new microbial consortia containing entomopathogenic fungus,Beauveria bassiana and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria,Pseudomonas fluorescens for simultaneous management of leafminers and collar rot disease in groundnut

The virulence of 20 isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin to larvae of the leafminer, Aproaerema modicella, was tested in the laboratory. Leafminer larvae were sprayed with a standard concentration of 1×10⁸ condia/mL of each B. bassiana isolate. All the B. bassiana isolates tested were pathogenic to A. modicella and the mortality varied between 16.7 and 68.9%. Beauveria bassiana isolate B2 was found to be the most virulent followed by isolate B4 which resulted in 59% mortality. Beauveria isolate B2 was selected for dose–response mortality studies with four different doses (1×10², 1×10⁴, 1×10⁶ and 1×10⁸ conidia/mL). Among the various doses tested, 1×10⁸ conidia/mL produced the highest mortality (70.7%). In addition, morphogenesis of the insect pest in all stages, larval, pupal and adult was greatly affected due to fungal infection. Further, B. bassiana isolate B2 and two Pseudomonas fluorescens strains, TDK1 and Pf1 were tested alone and in combination for suppression of groundnut leafminer and collar rot disease and promotion of plant growth and yield both under glasshouse and field conditions. The mixture of B. bassiana and P. fluorescens strains significantly reduced the leafminer and collar rot disease incidences when applied as talc-based formulation through seed, soil and foliar application under glasshouse and field conditions.     

Pseudomonas fluorescens enhances resistance and natural enemy population in rice plants against leaffolder pest

Plant growth promoting fluorescent pseudomonad strains Pf1, TDK1 and PY15 were evaluated for their efficacy against leaffolder ( Cnaphalocrocis medinalis ) pest in rice plants under field conditions individually and in combinations. Application of mixtures of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains Pf1, TDK1 and PY15 significantly reduced the leaffolder damage in rice plants compared with untreated control. Interestingly, natural enemy population in plots treated with P. fluorescens was greater than the chemical and untreated controls. Further, support for these results was gathered by assaying activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and lipoxygenase (LOX) under glasshouse conditions. The results showed the higher activity of PPO and LOX in plants treated with P. fluorescens mixtures (Pf1 + TDK1 + PY15) than the plants treated with individual strains, chemical and untreated controls. Further, fluorescent pseudomonad mixtures increased the rice yield compared with individual strain and non-bacterized treatments. The present study reveals that in addition to plant growth promotion, plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains-mediated induction of PPO and LOX in rice plants could be involved in enhanced natural enemy populations and resistance mechanisms against leaffolder attack.     

Understanding the molecular basis of plant growth promotional effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens on rice through protein profiling

Background  

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), Pseudomonas fluorescens strain KH-1 was found to exhibit plant growth promotional activity in rice under both in-vitro and in-vivo conditions. But the mechanism underlying such promotional activity of P. fluorescens is not yet understood clearly. In this study, efforts were made to elucidate the molecular responses of rice plants to P. fluorescens treatment through protein profiling. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis strategy was adopted to identify the PGPR responsive proteins and the differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by mass spectrometry.     

Plant growth promoting bacteria enhance water stress resistance in green gram plants

Plant growth promoting bacterial (PGPB) strains Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf1 and endophytic Bacillus subtilis EPB5, EPB22, EPB 31 were tested for their capacity to induce water stress related proteins and enzymes in green gram (Vigna radiata) plants. Among the different bacteria used, P. fluorescens Pf1 increased the vigour index, fresh weight and dry weight of green gram seedlings in vitro. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of stress-related enzymes indicated the greater activity of catalase and peroxidase in green gram plants bacterized with P. fluorescens Pf1 against water stress when compared to untreated plants. The greater accumulation of proline was recorded in Pf1 treated plants compared to untreated plants. The pot culture study revealed the greater resistance to water stress by green gram plants treated with P. fluorescens Pf1 compared to untreated plants. The greater activity of stress-related enzymes in green gram plants mediated by PGPB could pave the way for developing drought management strategies.     

Efficacy of new EC formulation derived from garlic creeper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Adenocalymma</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">alliaceum</Emphasis> Miers.) against anthracnose and stem end rot diseases of mango

Different leaf extracts of Garlic creeper (Adenocalymma alliaceum Miers.) using water and solvents were prepared and they were screened for their antifungal activity against Colletotricum gloeosporioides Penz. and Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. causal agents of mango post harvest diseases viz., anthracnose and stem end rot respectively. Among the extracts tested, chloroform extract was found to be highly effective in inhibiting the spore germination of C. gloeosporioides by 84.62% and B. theobromae by 84.50% followed by methanol extract. The extracts were also inhibitory to the mycelium. Ammonium sulphate precipitation and SDS–PAGE analysis of the extract indicated the presence of a major protein with a molecular weight at 65 kDa. Two blue spots at Rf 0.96 and 0.80 was also observed in TLC analysis and the presence of tannic acid, resorcinol was evident from HPLC analysis. Treatment of fruits with leaf extract of A. alliaceum increased the activities of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and sugars with significant reduction in starch, phenolics, protein and ascorbic acid. The extract was partially purified and formulated as ADENOCAL 60 EC for the management of post harvest diseases of mango fruits.     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular alpha-glucosidase protein from Trichoderma viride which degrades a phytotoxin associated with sheath blight disease in rice

AIMS: To purify and characterize an extracellular alpha-glucosidase from Trichoderma viride capable of inactivating a host-specific phytotoxin, designated RS toxin, produced by the rice sheath blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani Kühn. METHODS AND RESULTS: The host-specific RS toxin was purified from both culture filtrates (culture filtrate toxin, CFTox) and R. solani-inoculated rice sheaths (sheath blight toxin, SBTox). Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses of extracellular proteins, purified from a biocontrol fungus T. viride (TvMNT7) grown on SBTox and CFTox separately, were carried out. The antifungal activity of the purified high molecular weight protein (110 kDa) was studied against RS toxin as well as on the sclerotial germination and mycelial growth of R. solani. Enzyme assay and Western blot analysis with the antirabbit TvMNT7 110-kDa protein indicated that the protein was an alpha-glucosidase. The 110-kDa protein was highly specific to RS toxin and its Michaelis-Menten constant value was 0.40 mmol l-1 when p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside was used as the substrate. The isoelectric point of the protein was 5.2. N-terminal sequencing of the alpha-glucosidase protein showed that its amino acid sequence showed no homology with other known alpha-glucosidases. CONCLUSION: This appears to be the first report of the purification and characterization of an alpha-glucosidase capable of inactivating a host-specific toxin of fungal origin. The alpha-glucosidase is specific to RS toxin and is different from the known alpha-glucosidases. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: As RS toxin could be inactivated by the microbial alpha-glucosidase enzyme, isolation of the gene that codes for the enzyme from T. viride and transfer of the gene to rice plants would lead to enhanced resistance against sheath blight pathogen by inactivation of RS toxin.     

Inactivation of Rhizoctonia solani toxin by a putative α-glucosidase from coconut leaves for control of sheath blight disease in rice

Inactivation of a host-specific toxin, RS-toxin, induced by Rhizoctonia solani, the cause of rice sheath blight disease was investigated. A putative -glucosidase identified based on enzyme assay and Western blot analysis was purified from coconut (Cocos nucifera; the only known non-host of R. solani) leaves and tested for its efficacy in degrading RS-toxin. SDS–PAGE analysis showed the appearance of a 97 kDa protein, which appeared in proteins extracted from coconut leaf bits during 48 and 96 h after RS-toxin-treatment and the protein eventually disappeared. A comparison of the u.v. spectra read at 150–300 nm revealed conspicuous disturbances in the absorbance at 24 h of incubation of RS-toxin with the coconut leaf protein extracts as compared to that at 12 h, indicating the possible degradation of RS-toxin by coconut leaf -glucosidase during incubation. Incubation of rice leaf sheath bits with coconut leaf protein extracts significantly reduced electrolyte leakage due to RS-toxin 30 min after the toxin treatment. Simultaneously, there was a significant reduction in sheath blight symptoms when the incubation of rice leaf sheaths with the coconut leaf protein extracts was extended up to 96 or 120 h. This appears to be the first report of purification and characterization of a putative plant -glucosidase.     

Combined application of botanical formulations and biocontrol agents for the management of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) causing Fusarium wilt in banana

Plant products along with biocontrol agents were tested against Fusarium wilt of banana caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). Of the 22 plant species tested, the leaf extract of Datura metel (10%) showed complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of Foc. Two botanical fungicides, Wanis 20 EC and Damet 50 EC along with selected PGPR strains with known biocontrol activity, Pseudomonas fluorescens 1, Pf1 and Bacillus subtilis, TRC 54 were tested individually and in combination for the management of Fusarium wilt under greenhouse and field conditions. Combined application of botanical formulation and biocontrol agents (Wanis 20 EC + Pf1 + TRC 54) reduced the wilt incidence significantly under greenhouse (64%) and field conditions (75%). Reduction in disease incidence was positively correlated with the induction of defense-related enzymes peroxidase (PO) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Three antifungal compounds (two glycosides and one ester) in D. metel were separated and identified using TLC, RP-HPLC (Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography) and mass spectrometry. In this study it is clear that combined application of botanical formulations and biocontrol agents can be very effective in the management of Fusarium wilt of banana.