Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"Enhancing natural enemies in sugar beet fields: The impact of flower strip types and landscape elements","authors":"Angela Studer ,&nbsp;Linda Näpflin ,&nbsp;Philippe Jeanneret ,&nbsp;Katja Jacot","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flower strips (FS) enhance predators that can help regulate aphids. In sugar beet crops, early-season aphid populations can spread viruses, so timely FS resources are key to attract aphid predators to reduce virus transmission. This study aims to identify the optimal FS type(s) for supporting aphid antagonists in early spring, track their abundances in the different FS types, and analyze the landscape factors influencing antagonist presence.</div><div>We selected three different seed mixtures, each sown on 10 sugar beet fields managed without insecticides. FS types were compared to sugar beet strips in fields without insecticides, and conventionally managed fields, both served as controls. We assessed the strips by counting flowers and collecting insects with a sweep net in mid-April, early May, and early June.</div><div>Autumn-sown annual and second-year perennial FS produced greater and earlier flower volumes than other treatments. Over time, the flower compositions of these two FS types also became increasingly distinct from each other. Aphid antagonists were more abundant in these FS types compared to spring-sown annual FS and controls. Hoverfly communities differed between autumn-sown and perennial FS. Braconidae were positively linked to forest cover within 500 m, while hoverflies showed a negative association with forest at the 2000 m scale.</div><div>Overall, autumn-sown annual and perennial FS are better suited for conservation biocontrol of aphids in sugar beet systems than spring-sown annual FS. Hoverfly composition differences may lead to variation in aphid suppression. From a landscape perspective, forested areas near fields within otherwise open landscapes are important in supporting beneficial insects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105879"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive analysis of Fusarium spp. associated with red stele root rot of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) in northern Zhejiang, China","authors":"Yiming Zhang ,&nbsp;Minyan Song ,&nbsp;Shiliu Zhu ,&nbsp;Yehua Si","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105876","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105876","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, strawberry red–stele root rot has caused significant economic losses for growers in northern Zhejiang, China. Isolates were identified using morphological traits and molecular biological analysis,Koch’s postulates was established by re-isolation of strains from the inoculated roots. Biological characteristics were determined, and fungicide sensitivity was assessed <em>in vitro</em> with the mycelial–growth‐rate assay. Two species—<em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> and <em>F. solani</em>—were confirmed as the main pathogens causing strawberry red–stele root rot. For both fungi, optimal mycelial growth occurred at 25 °C under a 12-h light/12-h dark photoperiod; the optimal pH values were 7.0 for <em>F. oxysporum</em> and 6.0 for <em>F. solani</em>. Optimal conidial production for <em>F. oxysporum</em> was observed at 25 °C, pH 7.0, and 24 h light, whereas <em>F. solani</em> sporulated best at 30 °C under a 12  h light/12  h dark cycle. <em>In vitro</em>, 300 million spores/g <em>Trichoderma harzianum</em> and 0.3 % matrine emulsifiable concentrate (EC) strongly inhibited pathogens, the EC₅₀ values of 300 million spores/g <em>Trichoderma harzianum</em> for <em>F. oxysporum</em> and <em>F. solani</em> are 6.42 ± 1.40 mg L⁻¹ and 8.58 ± 2.39 mg L⁻¹, respectively, while the EC₅₀ values of 0.3 % matrine for <em>F. oxysporum</em> and <em>F. solani</em> are 2.50 ± 1.31 mg L⁻¹ and 0.73 ± 0.21 mg L⁻¹, respectively.Field efficacy tests showed that 300 million spores/g <em>Trichoderma harzianum</em> and 0.3 % matrine EC provided the best control effect, both reducing disease incidence to 35.00 %, lowering the disease index to 27.67 and 26.33, and achieving a controlled efficacy of 63.59 and 65.36 %, These findings clarify the etiology of strawberry red–stele root rot in northern Zhejiang and offer practical guidance for its diagnosis and control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105876"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144934160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sentinel prey settings differ in their ability to distinguish organic from conventional apple orchards and in their sensitivity to weather conditions during field exposure","authors":"Claire Lavigne,&nbsp;Bertrand Gauffre,&nbsp;Cécile Thomas,&nbsp;Jean-Charles Bouvier,&nbsp;Xavier Said,&nbsp;Filipa Knapen,&nbsp;Jérôme Olivares,&nbsp;Alexis Cavazzini,&nbsp;Pierre Franck","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Determining factors that affect pest predation by natural enemies is essential for designing cropping systems that promote conservation biological control. Predation of sentinel prey has become an increasingly popular measure of predator activity for comparing fields with differing characteristics of interest. However, many different sentinel prey exist, and such studies rarely examine how the specific prey used influences their conclusions, especially in perennial crops. We compared the ability of four sentinel prey, placed either in the tree canopy (eggs of two Lepidoptera, <em>Cydia pomonella</em> and <em>Ephestia kuehniella</em>, and aphids, <em>Acyrthosiphon pisum</em>) or on the ground (aphids, <em>A. pisum</em>, and seeds of <em>Viola arvensis</em>), to differentiate between organic and conventional apple orchards. Furthermore, we assessed whether their predation depended on weather conditions during field exposure. We monitored predation of these sentinel prey during two field sessions (April and May) over nine years in 14 apple orchards. Predation of aphids exposed for 24 h on the ground was always high. Predation of all other prey, except seeds, was higher in organic than in conventional orchards, particularly during the April field session. Additionally, the predation of seeds, and to a lesser extent of aphids, was influenced by weather conditions during exposure. <em>Ephestia</em> eggs emerged as a suitable choice for comparing predation by generalist predators among orchards, as they were easy to handle and their predation rates were positively correlated with those of aphids exposed in the tree canopy. Codling moth eggs displayed a somewhat different predation pattern and could be a valuable complement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105875"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144989801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coniothyrium minitans: A biocontrol agent for sustainable management of Sclerotinia-induced diseases","authors":"Amit Sharma ,&nbsp;Carol L. Groves ,&nbsp;Megan McCaghey ,&nbsp;Brian Mueller ,&nbsp;Richard W. Webster ,&nbsp;Damon L. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Sclerotinia</em> spp. are globally distributed phytopathogens responsible for economically significant diseases in a wide range of host plants, including soybean, sunflower, canola, lettuce, cabbage, and carrot. The long-term survival of the overwintering structures, sclerotia, in soil coupled with the lack of completely resistant cultivars, threatens crop health and yield stability. Disease management generally relies on cultural and chemical practices that may not be consistently effective in all cropping systems and can raise environmental concerns. Microbe-microbe interactions, such as long-recognized between <em>Coniothyrium minitans</em> and <em>Sclerotinia</em> spp. are gaining renewed attention as a promising tool to manage <em>Sclerotinia</em>-induced diseases, offering environmentally friendly and often durable alternatives. Despite its importance, limited attention has been given to the topic in existing literature. This review focuses on <em>C. minitans,</em> from its biology to field-level deployment. Its antagonistic activity relies on mycoparasitism and antibiosis, both of which are influenced by environmental, biological, field, and chemical factors. Commercialization and deployment of <em>C. minitans</em>-based biocontrol products faced several hurdles before widespread adoption. Contans®, a commercial product, is recommended for soil application at harvest or approximately eight weeks prior to planting, or as a foliar spray during or shortly before conditions become conducive for disease development. Numerous greenhouse and field trials provide evidence of effective disease management in various crops using <em>C. minitans</em>, supporting its integration in disease management practices. This comprehensive review can be helpful for researchers, Extension agents, and farmers seeking information on effective and sustainable alternatives for managing <em>Sclerotinia</em>-induced diseases across diverse cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105877"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cambodian rice field soils infested by Meloidogyne spp. unveil a potential source of natural pest biocontrol agents","authors":"Michel Barbier ,&nbsp;Florine Degrune ,&nbsp;Cécile Perrollaz ,&nbsp;Kimsrong Uon ,&nbsp;Jamel Aribi ,&nbsp;Pierre Czernic ,&nbsp;Sreymom Sieng ,&nbsp;Florent Tivet ,&nbsp;Malyna Suong ,&nbsp;Lionel Moulin ,&nbsp;Stéphane Bellafiore","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice is a key staple crop and economic resource in Cambodia. Yet national yields are below regional averages due to the prevalence of persistent biotic stressors, including the rice root-knot nematode <em>Meloidogyne graminicola</em>. This pathogen is highly prevalent in Cambodian rice cropping systems, where current control measures primarily rely on water management and chemical nematicide treatment approaches that are often environmentally detrimental and unsustainable. Microbial biocontrol agents could offer a promising alternative for long-term nematode suppression. This study focused on soils from 13 rice fields in three Cambodian provinces to assess their suppressiveness against <em>M. graminicola</em>. An <em>in vitro</em> bioassay assessing second-stage juvenile (J2) mobility responses to soil suspensions revealed 30–95 % antagonistic activity. Nematofaunal communities were characterized alongside microbial community profiled using 16S and 18S metabarcoding. Threshold Indicator Taxa ANalysis (TITAN) was conducted to identify taxa associated with suppressive activity. Suppressive soils were found to be enriched with 105 bacterial and fungal taxa overall, along with several site-specific indicator taxa associated with localized antagonistic activity. These included known nematode antagonist taxa such as <em>Saccharopolyspora</em>, <em>Kitasatospora</em>, <em>Lysinibacillus</em> and <em>Mortierella</em>, as well as potential keystone taxa like <em>Ohtaekwangia</em>. Several previously unreported taxa were also associated with nematode inhibition. These findings revealed diverse microbial candidates with potential biocontrol activity against <em>M. graminicola</em>, thereby offering a stepping stone for the development of sustainable microbe-based rice nematode management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105874"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between foraging behavior and predatory gain of Neoseiulus bicaudus under different prey densities","authors":"Chen Fang ,&nbsp;Xinjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Siqiong Tang ,&nbsp;Jiamin Gu ,&nbsp;Jie Su ,&nbsp;Huiying Liu ,&nbsp;Jianping Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105873","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105873","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foraging behavior determines natural enemies’ predation capacity and biological control efficacy. Prey density significantly affects their foraging behavior. Studying predator foraging under different prey densities with movement process analysis reveals foraging mechanisms through energy investment and return. The predatory mite <em>Neoseiulus bicaudus</em> (Wainstein) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) preys on pests including <em>Tetranychus turkestani</em> Ugarov et Nikolskii (Acari: Tetranychidae). Using video-tracking, we evaluated how <em>T. turkestani</em> densities (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 per arena) affect <em>N. bicaudus</em> foraging behavior, movement, and energy gain. This research investigates behavioral mechanisms underlying prey density effects on predation capacity and evaluates biocontrol optimization from a behavioral perspective.</div><div>Prey density significantly impacted <em>N. bicaudus</em> foraging, with attack frequency peaking at 30 prey. Time allocation among behaviors remained constant across densities. Movement analysis using machine learning algorithms (based on speed and turning angle parameters) revealed two distinct movement states: active and inactive. Below 10 prey, inactive states dominated; higher densities favored active states. Inactive states significantly affected attack frequency and prey consumption; predation rates were further modulated by movement states interactions. Energy gain correlated significantly with inactive-state duration. High prey densities decreased per-prey feeding duration but increased total energy gain and extended patch residence time.</div><div><em>Neoseiulus bicaudus</em> dynamically regulates predation frequency and locomotor states in response to prey density. Movement states may be the key factor influencing predation efficiency, consistent with optimal foraging theory predictions. This mechanistic understanding of predator–prey interactions provides a framework for optimizing natural enemy-based biocontrol strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105873"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Root rot of strawberry caused by Fusarium citri in China and use of Streptomyces rhizosphaericus as a biological control","authors":"Ai Liu ,&nbsp;Yan Jing ,&nbsp;Xiangyang Li ,&nbsp;Xiujuan Shi ,&nbsp;Wei Mu ,&nbsp;Beixing Li ,&nbsp;Feng Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105872","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105872","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strawberry root rot is a worldwide challenge in plantations, inflicting significant economic losses. Among the causative agents, <em>Fusarium</em> spp. are major pathogens that trigger root rot and wilt in strawberry and other cash crops. In March 2023, an outbreak of root rot occurred in strawberry fields of Zibo city, Shandong province, China. Infected plants exhibited severe symptoms, including high mortality, root necrosis, lack of fresh root growth, crown discoloration, and leaf withering. To identify the pathogen, morphological observation and phylogenetic analysis of multiple gene regions (ITS, <em>CAM</em>, <em>EF</em>, <em>RPB2</em>, and <em>TEF</em>) were conducted. The results confirmed that <em>Fusarium citri</em> was the causal agent of the root rot. Pathogenicity tests and Koch’s postulates further demonstrated that <em>F. citri</em> isolates induced symptoms consistent with those observed in the field. Notably, this study represents the first report of <em>F. citri</em> inducing root rot on strawberry in China. Application of <em>Streptomyces rhizosphaericus</em> in both <em>in vitro</em> and in plant pathogen challenge experiments revealed a potential for this organism as biological control agent for the management of strawberry root rot caused by <em>F. citri</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methyl 2-methylbutyrate produced by Streptomyces saccharicans strain ZBY1-20 inhibits Monilinia fructicola causing peach brown rot","authors":"Shan Chen ,&nbsp;Meijun Chen ,&nbsp;Yang Zheng ,&nbsp;Rong Mu ,&nbsp;Haorong Yang ,&nbsp;Mengfen Liu ,&nbsp;Jihong Jiang ,&nbsp;Guanhua Ma ,&nbsp;Xianchao Sun ,&nbsp;Kuo Huang ,&nbsp;Jiequn Ren ,&nbsp;Guoju Dong ,&nbsp;Guokang Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest peach brown rot disease, predominantly caused by <em>Monilinia fructicola</em>, leads to significant economic losses, with up to 50 % fruit rot. Current control strategies rely heavily on chemical fungicides, raising concerns about pathogen resistance, environmental impact, and pesticide residues. This study explored the potential of volatile metabolites produced by 27 Actinomycetes strains to inhibit <em>M. fructicola</em>. Among them, volatiles from <em>Streptomyces saccharicans</em> strain ZBY1-20 demonstrated limited direct inhibition of brown rot on peaches but effectively suppressed <em>M. fructicola</em> spore germination, suggesting the presence of germination-inhibiting compounds. Comprehensive characterization of ZBY1-20 included BIOLOG phenotypic profiling and physiological assessments. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified 20 volatile metabolites during a 14-day incubation period, dominated by alcohols, organic acid esters, and terpenes. Methyl 2-methylbutyrate, comprising 5.291 % of the total volatiles, exhibited potent antifungal activity, significantly inhibiting <em>M. fructicola</em> growth and spore production. Notably, 0.1200 ng L^-1 of methyl 2-methylbutyrate completely suppressed spore germination and reduced lesion expansion on peach fruit without causing adverse effects. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that methyl 2-methylbutyrate altered <em>M. fructicola</em> gene expression, disrupting ribosome-associated pathways and impairing protein translation. Overall, these findings highlight the efficacy of <em>S. saccharicans</em> strain ZBY1-20 in managing peach brown rot via the production of methyl 2-methylbutyrate, providing an environmentally friendly alternative for postharvest disease control and advancing strategies for fruit preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105861"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144858403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the potential of native Blueberry-derived yeasts as biocontrol agents against Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata","authors":"Florencia Isabel Chacón ,&nbsp;Pedro Eugenio Sineli ,&nbsp;Santiago Bernabé Guiñazú ,&nbsp;Fátima Micaela Alvarez ,&nbsp;Anja Poehlein ,&nbsp;Rolf Daniel ,&nbsp;Julián Rafael Dib","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blueberry production in Argentina faces economic losses caused mainly by fungal pathogens such as <em>Botrytis cinerea</em> and <em>Alternaria alternata.</em> Synthetic fungicides are expected to be discontinued in favor of a more sustainable agriculture, making indigenous yeast, which protects the plants, a promising alternative. This study explored the cultivable portion of blueberry fruits and flowers epiphytic yeast community to identify yeasts capable of protecting fruits against the major phytopathogens affecting this crop. Native yeasts were isolated and identified based on the PCR-amplified and sequenced D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene. Members of the genera: <em>Rhodotorula</em>, <em>Hanseniaspora</em>, <em>Naganishia</em>, <em>Moesziomyces</em>, <em>Rhizosphaera</em>, <em>Metschnikowia</em>, <em>Clavispora</em>, <em>Pallidophorina</em>, <em>Hannaella, Aureobasidium, Sporobolomyces, Filobasidium,</em> and <em>Cystobasidium</em> were identified<em>.</em> Subsequently, antagonism against <em>B. cinerea</em> and <em>A. alternata</em> was assessed <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo.</em> Finally, potential modes of action such as killer phenotype, siderophore production and formation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were also evaluated. Among 38 yeast strains identified, the strain <em>Aureobasidium leucospermi</em> LAF2 stood out <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> with respect to protect blueberry fruits against <em>B. cinerea</em> by 58.33 % and <em>A. alternata</em> by 67.78 % of biocontrol efficiency at 25 °C. It also proved the ability to produce hydroxamate-type siderophores and VOCs capable of inhibiting <em>B. cinerea</em> growth by 48.19 %. These results suggest that fruits and flowers epiphytic microbial communities are a reservoir of potential biological control agents. <em>A. leucospermi</em> LAF2 is a strong candidate for a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicides in blueberry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological control of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and high-quality walnut production in walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees by Bacillus licheniformis PR2","authors":"Jae-Hyun Moon,&nbsp;Sang-Jae Won,&nbsp;Vantha Choub,&nbsp;Su-In Choi,&nbsp;Ju-Yeol Yun,&nbsp;Henry B. Ajuna,&nbsp;Young Sang Ahn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Walnut (<em>Juglans regia</em> L., Fam.: <em>Juglandaceae</em>) is an economically important crop worldwide, but its production is hampered by notorious diseases such as walnut anthracnose caused by <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em>. This study aims to demonstrate the potential of <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em> PR2 as an alternative to chemical fungicides through the production of bioactive enzymes which degrade the phytopathogenic fungal cell walls to inhibit its mycelial growth and spore germination and consequently suppress anthracnose disease. The study further demonstrates the potential of PR2 to improve the yield and quality of walnut kernels through phytohormone production and improving nutrient availability in soil. During its growth in the bacterial culture, PR2 exhibited strong antifungal potential by producing cell wall degrading enzymes such as chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease which degraded the cell wall chitin, β-glucans and glycoproteins polymers of <em>C. gloeosporioides</em>. The crude enzyme fraction of PR2 at 100 µL/mL inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of <em>C. gloeosporioides</em> by 89.22 % and 33.31 %, respectively. Field application of PR2 culture resulted in 3.60-fold and 3.47-fold reduction of anthracnose disease incidence compared to the conventional treatment and control groups, respectively. For the growth-promoting properties, PR2 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a phytohormone known to enhance root development up to 148.49 mg/mL during growth and demonstrated the potential for phosphate-solubilization and ammonium-nitrogen production, thereby increasing the availability of essential nutrients in the soil. Application of PR2 in the field elevated the concentration of nitrogen and available phosphorus by 1.70-fold and by 1.56-fold compared to the conventional treatment and control group, respectively. Inoculation of PR2 also elevated the concentration of available phosphate in the rhizosphere by 2.57-fold and 2.67-fold compared to the conventional treatment and control group, respectively. These growth-promoting properties improved the uptake of essential nutrients by walnut plants and resulted in higher chlorophyll content/photosynthetic capacity in walnut leaves, which in turn resulted in higher yield and improved physical characteristics of walnut kernels, such as the average kernel length, diameter, weight and firmness. Moreover, the inoculation of PR2 in walnut field increased calcium uptake and content in walnut kernel by promoting calcium solubilization from metal complexes through organic acid production (lowering soil pH) and the increased Ca content improved kernel firmness by reinforcing the pellicle cell walls. These findings demonstrate that <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 has dual potential to directly inhibit phytopathogenic infections through enzymatic degradation of the fungal cell walls while simultaneously inducing beneficial physiological processes to improve","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105871"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}