Endophytic colonization of entomopathogenic fungi increases plant disease resistance by changing the endophytic bacterial community

Abstract

Various mechanisms are involved in plant disease resistance mediated by entomopathogenic fungi; however, the role of plant endophytic microbes in disease resistance is unknown. In the present study, we showed that the disease incidence of northern corn leaf blight caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Et) on maize was reduced significantly by soil inoculation with Beauveria bassiana (Bb). Meanwhile, B. bassiana colonization and E. turcicum infection increased the diversity and abundance and diversity of endophytic bacteria and fungi, respectively, while the abundance of endophytic bacterial of the Bb + Et treatment decreased significantly compared with that of Et treatment alone. However, Bb + Et treatment increased the relative abundance of plant beneficial bacteria significantly, for example, Burkholderia and Pseudomonas. Network analyses showed that the microbiome complexity increased after soil inoculation with B. bassiana. Taken together, these results revealed the potential mechanism by which entomopathogenic fungi exert biological control of maize leaf spot disease.

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana promotes plant biomass growth and suppresses pathogen damage by directional recruitment

“…For example, Berendsen et al (2018) indicate that plants could adjust their root microbiome following pathogen infection and specifically recruit disease resistance-inducing and growth-promoting microbes, which potentially enhance the survival potential of their offspring that would grow in the same soil. Similarly, Chang et al (2021) showed that B. bassiana colonization and Exserohilum turcicum infection increased the relative abundance of plant beneficial bacteria ( Burkholderia and Pseudomonas ) in maize leaves significantly, with positive biological control and plant growth promotion effects. Our study highlights that plants can regulate EPF distribution in plant tissues and their own defense responses under abiotic stress.…”

Multiomics Reveals Mechanisms of Alternaria oxytropis Inhibiting Pathogenic Fungi in Oxytropis ochrocephala

“…Beauveria bassiana, an endophytic fungus in northern corn (Zea mays L.), inhibited the relative abundance of phytopathogenic fungi Exserohilum turcicum by increasing the plant beneficial bacteria. 23 A. oxytropis dominated the endophytic fungi in many locoweeds. With the increase of the abundance of A. oxytropis, the microbial diversity indexes (Shannon and Simpson) of Nicotiana tabacum cultivar K326 leaf were significantly changed, and five pathogenic bacteria were inhibited by A. oxytropis.…”

“…Dhayanithy et al found that endophytic fungi in Catharanthus roseus could produce some secondary metabolites with biological activities such as eliminating free radicals. Beauveria bassiana, an endophytic fungus in northern corn ( Zea mays L.), inhibited the relative abundance of phytopathogenic fungi Exserohilum turcicum by increasing the plant beneficial bacteria A.…”

First record of Aspergillus nomiae as a broad-spectrum entomopathogenic fungus that provides resistance against phytopathogens and insect pests by colonization of plants

“…Numerous EPF strains have a plant disease control effect via endogenous colonization ( Bamisile et al, 2018 ; Vega, 2018 ). Some strains showed no directly antagonistic effects against pathogens in vitro but can improve plant resistance to diseases following endogenous colonization by altering the phyllosphere microbiome of maize after colonization ( Chang et al, 2021 ) or regulating salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways ( Qin et al, 2021 ; Gupta et al, 2022 ). Nevertheless, EPF exhibited direct antagonism against pathogens via antibiosis, competition, or parasitism through the production of fungal secondary metabolites ( Ownley et al, 2008 ; Vega et al, 2009 ).…”