Biocontrol traits of Bacillus licheniformis GL174, a culturable endophyte of Vitis vinifera cv. Glera

Abstract

BackgroundBacillus licheniformis GL174 is a culturable endophytic strain isolated from Vitis vinifera cultivar Glera, the grapevine mainly cultivated for the Prosecco wine production. This strain was previously demonstrated to possess some specific plant growth promoting traits but its endophytic attitude and its role in biocontrol was only partially explored. In this study, the potential biocontrol action of the strain was investigated in vitro and in vivo and, by genome sequence analyses, putative functions involved in biocontrol and plant-bacteria interaction were assessed.ResultsFirstly, to confirm the endophytic behavior of the strain, its ability to colonize grapevine tissues was demonstrated and its biocontrol properties were analyzed. Antagonism test results showed that the strain could reduce and inhibit the mycelium growth of diverse plant pathogens in vitro and in vivo. The strain was demonstrated to produce different molecules of the lipopeptide class; moreover, its genome was sequenced, and analysis of the sequences revealed the presence of many protein-coding genes involved in the biocontrol process, such as transporters, plant-cell lytic enzymes, siderophores and other secondary metabolites.ConclusionsThis step-by-step analysis shows that Bacillus licheniformis GL174 may be a good biocontrol agent candidate, and describes some distinguished traits and possible key elements involved in this process. The use of this strain could potentially help grapevine plants to cope with pathogen attacks and reduce the amount of chemicals used in the vineyard.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1306-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bacillus strain selection with plant growth-promoting mechanisms as potential elicitors of systemic resistance to gray mold in pepper plants

“…Recent studies have proven the controlling effect Bacillus strains can have on B . cinerea by the production of lipopeptides ( Nigris et al, 2018 ), secondary metabolites, or volatile organic compounds ( Jiang et al, 2018 ). Therefore, strains M8 and M16 may present many of these mechanisms to inhibit the growth of F .…”

“…licheniformis strain GL174 significantly reduced the area of necrotic lesion caused by B . cinerea in different forms of foliar application ( Nigris et al, 2018 ). In peppers, the induction of resistance against B. cinerea by B. velezensis strains 5YN8 and DSN012 has been proven, with BE of 50% at DAI 30 ( Jiang et al, 2018 ).…”

“…licheniformis strain GL174 significantly reduced the area of necrotic lesion caused by B . cinerea in different forms of foliar application ( Nigris et al, 2018 ). Considering the relevance of pepper cultivation in Venezuela and some regions as well as the high incidence of B .…”

Pathogenicity of aerobic bacteria isolated from honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Ordu Province

“…Blinech et al [34] tested it against both coleopteran and lepidopteran pests. Furthermore, this bacterium was also isolated from Vitis vinifera for the biological control of phytopathogens in plants [35].…”

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus licheniformis Strain UASWS1606, a Plant Biostimulant for Agriculture

“…Current taxonomy shows that it is closely related to Bacillus subtilis ( 3 ). It is a well-known bacterium used for its enzymes and antibiotics in a wide range of industries ( 4 , 5 ), and some strains have already demonstrated interesting features for agronomic applications, such as imparting increased resistance to salt-alkaline stress ( 6 ), presenting endophytic behavior with biocontrol properties ( 7 ), and promoting plant growth and demonstrating fungus-antagonizing properties ( 8 , 9 ). Bacillus licheniformis UASWS1606 was isolated from an agricultural clay loam soil in Presinge, Geneva, Switzerland ( 10 ), and initially identified as Bacillus licheniformis by 16S rRNA gene Sanger sequencing.…”