Abstract
The effectiveness of a biocontrol agent Bacillus cereus AR156 for control of anthracnose rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum in harvested loquat fruit and the possible mechanisms of its action have been investigated. Treatment of fruit with B. cereus AR156 resulted in lower disease incidence and smaller lesion diameters compared with that of untreated fruit. The treatment enhanced activities of defense-related enzymes including chitinase, β-1, 3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase, and promoted accumulation of H2O2. Total phenolic content and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity were also increased by treatment. Transcripts of three defense-related genes were enhanced only in fruit undergoing both B. cereus AR156 treatment and C. acutatum inoculation compared with those receiving either intervention alone. These results suggest that the disease resistance against C. acutatum in loquat fruit is enhanced by B. cereus AR156 and that the induced resistance is associated with induction and priming of defense responses in the fruit.
Highlights
Loquat fruit is widely cultivated in the subtropical regions of southern China, Japan, northern India, Israel, and the Mediterranean
In a previous study [11], we found that B. cereus AR156 treatment suppressed Rhizopus rot on peach fruit wounds inoculated with R. stolonifer
These results suggest that B. cereus AR156 could be a promising biocontrol agent against a broad spectrum of pathogens in harvested fruits
Summary
Loquat fruit is widely cultivated in the subtropical regions of southern China, Japan, northern India, Israel, and the Mediterranean. Anthracnose rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the major postharvest diseases of loquat fruit. The use of biological control appears to be a promising strategy for controlling postharvest diseases of fruit [1]. Some antagonistic yeasts have been reported to effectively inhibit postharvest decay of fruits and vegetables and have shown potential as an alternative to synthetic fungicides [2]. Pichia membranaefaciens has been tested as a potential biological control agent for suppressing green mould decay caused by Penicillium citrinum on Chinese bayberries [3], anthracnose rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum on loquat fruit [4] and postharvest decay caused by Monilinia fructicola on apple fruit [5]. The action mechanisms of these biocontrol agents have not been clearly elucidated
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