Control of Phytophthora nicotianae disease, induction of defense responses and genes expression of papaya fruits treated with Pseudomonas putida MGP1.

BACKGROUND: Biological control is a potential strategy to reduce post-harvest decay in several fruits. Little research has been carried out on the effects of endophytic bacterium on post-harvest blight caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in papaya. In this work, the biocontrol activity of Pseudomonas putida MGP1 on this disease and its possible mechanisms, including changes of defensive enzyme activities, total phenolic content and mRNA levels of two important genes, were investigated. RESULTS: Fruits treated with MGP1 showed a significant lower disease index and demonstrated increases in chitinase, ß-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and catalase activities and total phenolic content. In addition, the expression levels of pathogenesis related protein 1 gene (PR1) and non-expressor of PR1 gene (NPR1) in papaya fruits were elevated by MGP1 treatment. CONCLUSION The results indicated that papaya fruits were responsive to the endophytic bacterium Ps. putida, which could activate defensive enzymes and genes and thereby induce host disease resistance.

[Identification and antagonistic activities of an endophytic bacterium MGP3 isolated from papaya fruit].

OBJECTIVE: Postharvest decay resulted from anthracnose caused by pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and blight diseases caused by Phytophthora nicotianae leads to significant loss of papaya fruits. In order to reduce such loss, we isolated endophytic bacteria that may possess powerful antagonistic activities toward these pathogens for effective biological control of anthracnose and blight diseases. METHODS: The methods of dilution and inhibition circle were used for isolating and screening endophytic bacteria from papaya fruit. Based on morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and homology analysis of the partial sequence of 16S rDNA, an endophytic bacterium was identified. The colonization of the antagonistic endophyte in papaya was detected by inoculating suspension of strains in caudices of papaya plant after Rifampicin-resistant mutants (rif(r)) induction. The effects on diseases caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Phytophthora nicotianae were tested by preharvest and postharvest experiments. RESULTS: One of the endophytic bacteria named MGP3 was selected from the papaya pericarp and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Accession No. JF708186). This bacterium was able to colonize in the laminae, leafstalk or pericarp of papaya, and strongly inhibit 10 phytopathogens. In the postharvest experiment, MGP3 inhibited 50% anthracnose and 71% blight of harvested papaya fruits. The application of MGP3 at five preharvest stages of papaya significantly reduced latent infection rate of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and disease index of anthracnose. CONCLUSION: Antagonistic endophytic bacterium MGP3 isolated from papaya fruit had potential application value as a biological control agent.

Identification of endophytic bacterial strain MGP1 selected from papaya and its biocontrol effects on pathogens infecting harvested papaya fruit.

BACKGROUND: Traditional approaches to the control of diseases of papaya fruit rely on the use of synthetic chemicals, which can cause serious human health and environmental problems. Endophytes might be used as an alternative to chemicals to effectively control diseases of harvested papaya fruit. RESULTS: MGP1 was one of the biological control agents that was selected from the pericarp of papaya and identified as Pseudomonas putida biovar A. The bacterium was able to colonise in the lamina, leafstalk, pericarp and pulp of papaya and strongly inhibit ten kinds of phytopathogen. Positive control effects were achieved when fruits were challenged with Phytophthora nicotianae at 24 and 48 h after MGP1 treatment. The control effect of MGP1 on anthracnose of harvested papaya fruit reached 54%. The application of MGP1 at five preharvest stages of papaya significantly reduced the disease index of anthracnose, with the best control effect reaching 63% after application at the florescence stage. However, the rate of latent infection of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was significantly reduced only after application at the fluorescence stage. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the powerful ability of MGP1 as a biological agent.