Strawberry is an excellent source of natural antioxidants with high capacity of scavenging free radicals. This study evaluated the effects of two plant probiotic bacteria, Bacillus amylolequefaciens BChi1 and Paraburkholderia fungorum BRRh-4 on growth, fruit yield and antioxidant contents in strawberry fruits. Root dipping of seedlings (plug plants) followed by spray applications of both probiotic bacteria in the field on foliage significantly increased fruit yield (up to 48%) over non-treated control. Enhanced fruit yield likely to be linked with higher root and shoot growth, individual and total fruit weight/plant and production of phytohormone by the probiotic bacteria applied on plants. Interestingly, the fruits from plants inoculated with the isolates BChi1 and BRRh-4 had significantly higher contents of phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins over non-treated control. Total antioxidant activities were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in fruits of strawberry plants treated with both probiotic bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of significant improvement of both yield and quality of strawberry fruits by the application of plant probiotic bacteria BChi1 and BRRh-4 in a field condition. Further study is needed to elucidate underlying mechanism of growth and quality improvement of strawberry fruits by probiotic bacteria.

Strawberry is a well-known source of natural antioxidants with excellent free radical scavenging capacity. This study determined the effects of chitosan application in field condition on plant growth, fruit yield and antioxidant activities in strawberry fruit. Foliar applications of chitosan on strawberry significantly increased plant growth and fruit yield (up to 42% higher) compared to untreated control. Increased fruit yield was attributed to higher plant growth, individual fruit weight and total fruit weight/plant due to the chitosan application. Surprisingly, the fruit from plants sprayed with chitosan also had significantly higher contents (up to 2.6-fold) of carotenoids, anthocyanins, flavonoids and phenolics compared to untreated control. Total antioxidant activities in fruit of chitosan treated plants were also significantly higher (ca. 2-fold) (p< 0.05) than untreated control. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of chitosan applied on field plants providing significant improvement of both yield and health benefiting biochemical contents in strawberry fruit. Further study on the elucidation of mechanisms involved with enhancement of growth, yield and biochemical contents by chitosan is needed to promote sustainable production of strawberry.

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Wheat blast disease caused by the Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype exerts a significant impact on grain development, yield, and quality of the wheat. The aim of this study was to investigate morphological, physiological, biochemical, and nutritional properties of wheat cv. BARI Gom 24 under varying levels of blast disease severity in wheat spikes. Grain morphology, volume, weight, and germination of the infected grains were significantly affected by MoT. Biochemical traits specifically grain N, Ca, Mg, and Fe content significantly increased (up to threefold; p > 0.05), but organic carbon, Cu, Zn, B, and S content in wheat grains significantly decreased with increased severity of MoT infection. The grain crude protein content was about twofold higher (up to 18.5% in grain) in severely blast-infected grains compared to the uninfected wheat (9.7%). Analysis of other nutritional properties such as secondary metabolites revealed that total antioxidant activity, flavonoid, and carotenoid concentrations remarkably decreased (up to threefold) with increasing severity of blast infestation in wheat grain. Grain moisture, lipid, and ash content were slightly increased with the increase in blast severity. However, grain K and total phenolic concentration were increased at a certain level of blast infestation and then reduced with increase in MoT infestation.

A total of 91 isolates of probable antagonistic bacteria of potato soft rot bacteriumErwinia carotovorasubsp.carotovora(Ecc) were extracted from rhizospheres and endophytes of various crop plants, different soil varieties, and atmospheres in the potato farming areas of Bangladesh. Antibacterial activity of the isolated probable antagonistic bacteria was testedin vitroagainst the previously identified most common and most virulent soft rot causing bacterial strain Ecc P-138. Only two isolates E-45 and E-65 significantly inhibited thein vitrogrowth of Ecc P-138. Physiological, biochemical, and carbon source utilization tests identified isolate E-65 as a member of the genusBacillusand the isolate E-45 asLactobacillussp. The stronger antagonistic activity against Ecc P-138 was found in E-65in vitroscreening and storage potatoes. E-65 reduced the soft rot infection to 22-week storage potatoes of different varieties by 32.5–62.5% in model experiment, demonstrating its strong potential to be used as an effective biological control agent for the major pectolytic bacteria Ecc. The highest (62.5%) antagonistic effect of E-65 was observed in the Granola and the lowest (32.7%) of that was found in the Cardinal varieties of the Bangladeshi potatoes. The findings suggest that isolate E-65 could be exploited as a biocontrol agent for potato tubers.