Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is a polyphagous necrotrophic fungus and is the causal agent of grey mold diseases in more than 1400 different hosts. This fungus causes serious economic losses in both preharvest and post-harvest—mainly in grape, strawberry, and tomato crops—and is the second most important pathogen worldwide, to our knowledge. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are efficient biocontrol agents against B. cinerea through direct mechanisms, such as parasitism, antibiosis, and competition, but also indirectly through the activation of systemic plant resistance. The interaction between plants and these microorganisms can lead to the development of defensive responses in distant plant organs, which are highly effective against foliar, flower, and fruit pathogens, such as B. cinerea. This review aimed to explore the systemic plant defense responses against B. cinerea by compiling all cases reported (to the best of our knowledge) on the use of beneficial bacteria and fungi for agriculture, a subject not yet specifically addressed.
Highlights
Botrytis is a highly diverse fungal genus including numerous species that differ in their biology, ecology, morphological features, and host range
The use of chemical fungicides cannot alleviate the persistence of this fungus, in addition to the serious damage it causes to the environment and human health
In recent decades, many biological control strategies have been developed against this pathogen, with antagonist bacteria and fungi as the main interest groups
Summary
Botrytis is a highly diverse fungal genus including numerous species that differ in their biology, ecology, morphological features, and host range. The bacterial genus Bacillus includes species widely studied and used as biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi in agriculture due to their diverse secondary metabolism and ability to produce a wide variety of structurally different antagonistic substances, a mechanism of action known as antibiosis [8] In this way, inhibition of the grey mold disease in tomato leaves between. In grapevine and strawberry leaves and fruits, it has been possible to verify how the bacteria Pantoea ananatis and Lactobacillus plantarum, respectively, compete effectively for space by rapidly colonizing wounds before the establishment of B. cinerea and suppressing the mycelial growth and disease symptoms [21,22] Bacteria, such as Paenibacillus elgii, are capable of releasing chitinolytic enzymes [23], a mechanism possibly linked to the ability of Rahnella aquatilis to parasitize the spores of the necrotrophic fungus on the surfaces of post-harvest apples [24].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
