INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF LACTOBACILLUS SPECIES ON SEED AND PLANT HEALTH
Project no. 21803 · Status: Kapanmış · 2021
Summary
<p>In recent years, Lactobacillus species have contributed to the adoption of next-generation biocontrol strategies by enhancing food safety and quality, while controlling the development of pathogenic microorganisms throughout these processes. The opportunistic human pathogenic risks posed by existing bacterial and fungal biological control agents have directed attention towards probiotic microorganisms in the biological control of plant diseases.</p><p>In this thesis study, <em>Lactobacillus</em> species, which have recently begun to be used as next-generation biological control agents, were isolated from healthy tomato plants and tested both in vitro and in vivo against <em>Clavibacter michiganensis</em> subsp. <em>michiganensis </em>(Cmm), the causative agent of bacterial wilt and canker in tomatoes, known for its destructive impact and systemic colonization.</p><p>As a result of in vivo tests, the bacterial isolate designated G1 reduced disease severity by 35% in the Corvette cultivar and by 46% in the SC2121 cultivar compared to the untreated positive control, representing the most effective treatment. Furthermore, this bacterial isolate was found to have no negative effect on seed germination rates and positively increased plant biomass compared to untreated negative control plants.</p><p>Another bacterial isolate, numbered 0287/2, which was determined to have a positive effect on increasing plant biomass, was also included among the important bacteria examined in this study. Molecular identification revealed that the successful G1 isolate corresponds to <em>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</em> strain LBT2, while the 0287/2 isolate was identified as <em>Lacticaseibacillus zeae</em> strain LBT4.</p><p>Thus, similar to their role in human health, the potential use of these bacteria as probiotics in plant health and agricultural production has been evaluated.</p>