Leaf surface microbiota transplantation confers resistance to the coffee leaf rust in susceptible Coffea arabica

Abstract

Coffee leaf rust, caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix, became a major concern for coffee-producing countries. Additionally, there is an increase in the resistance of certain races of the fungus to fungicides and breeding cultivars, making producers to use alternative control methods. In this work, we transplanted the leaf surface microbiota of rust-resistant coffee species (Coffea racemosa and Coffea stenophylla) to Coffea arabica and tested whether the new microbiota would be able to minimize the damage caused by H. vastatrix. It was seen that the transplant was successful in controlling rust, especially from C. stenophylla, but the protection depended on the concentration of the microbiota. Certain fungi such as Acrocalymma, Bipolaris, Didymella, Nigrospora, Setophaeosphaeria, Simplicillium, Stagonospora, Torula and bacteria such as Chryseobacterium, Sphingobium and especially Enterobacter and have their populations increased and may be related to the antagonism seen against H. vastatrix. Interestingly, relative population of bacteria from genera Pantoea, Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas decreased after transplant, suggesting a positive interaction between them and H. vastatrix development. Our findings may help to better understand the role of the microbiota in coffee leaf rust as well as help to optimize the development of biocontrol agents.