The Prospect of Hydrolytic Enzymes from Bacillus Species in the Biological Control of Pests and Diseases in Forest and Fruit Tree Production

Abstract

Plant diseases and insect pest damage cause tremendous losses in forestry and fruit tree production. Even though chemical pesticides have been effective in the control of plant diseases and insect pests for several decades, they are increasingly becoming undesirable due to their toxic residues that affect human life, animals, and the environment, as well as the growing challenge of pesticide resistance. In this study, we review the potential of hydrolytic enzymes from Bacillus species such as chitinases, β-1,3-glucanases, proteases, lipases, amylases, and cellulases in the biological control of phytopathogens and insect pests, which could be a more sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. This study highlights the application potential of the hydrolytic enzymes from different Bacillus sp. as effective biocontrol alternatives against phytopathogens/insect pests through the degradation of cell wall/insect cuticles, which are mainly composed of structural polysaccharides like chitins, β-glucans, glycoproteins, and lipids. This study demonstrates the prospects for applying hydrolytic enzymes from Bacillus sp. as effective biopesticides in forest and fruit tree production, their mode of biocidal activity and dual antimicrobial/insecticidal potential, which indicates a great prospect for the simultaneous biocontrol of pests/diseases. Further research should focus on optimizing the production of hydrolytic enzymes, and the antimicrobial/insecticidal synergism of different Bacillus sp. which could facilitate the simultaneous biocontrol of pests and diseases in forest and fruit tree production.

Inhibitory Effect and Potential Antagonistic Mechanism of Isolated Epiphytic Yeasts against Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata in Postharvest Blueberry Fruits

“…The two enzymes are associated with the mycelial degradation of fungi [26,27,38]. They can result in cell deformities, alterations in membrane permeability, and cytoplasmic leakage, and therefore have a vital impact on biocontrol over pathogens [50][51][52]. According to our findings, P. terrestris had stronger exocellular lytic enzyme activity than H. uvarum and R. glutinis when induced by the CWPs of B. cinerea or A. alternata, especially following 48 h of induced incubation (Figure 4).…”

Biological Control of Tomato Bacterial Leaf Spots and Its Impact on Some Antioxidant Enzymes, Phenolic Compounds, and Pigment Content

“…Post-inoculation applications, as investigated by Wei et al [ 86 ], showed that treating plants after infection can suppress disease progression by enhancing plant defense mechanisms. Simultaneous applications, as evidenced by Ajuna et al [ 87 ], indicated that introducing biological agents at the same time as pathogens can reduce disease symptoms through direct competition and disruption of pathogen establishment.…”