Global Plant Protection News

Saturday, 22 April 2023 16:57:00

Grahame Jackson posted a new submission ‘Beneficial bacteria a double-edged sword ‘

Submission

Beneficial bacteria a double-edged sword

Phys.Org

by University of Delaware
Alfalfa, also known in Latin as Medicago sativa, is an agricultural crop that is part of the legume family. It is known as a protein-rich food source for dairy cattle that is easily digested and can lead to increased milk production. This is good news if you are a fan of ice cream or other dairy products.

However, alfalfa can be susceptible to common fungal diseases, such as spring black stem or root rot, that can limit crop yields.

A recent paper published in Plants by University of Delaware plant biologist Harsh Bais and postdoctoral researcher Amanda Rosier has shown that UD1022, a UD-patented beneficial bacteria, can protect alfalfa plants from fungal pathogens that cause plant disease.

The UD-patented microbe UD1022 is a unique strain of Bacillus subtilis, a natural, beneficial bacterium that lives on the surface of roots and the surrounding soil, or rhizosphere. UD1022 is known as a growth promoter that can help plants flourish vigorously. It also is considered a plant protector for its ability to help plants wage a system-wide resistance when under attack by one of these microscopic disease agents.

Rosier, the paper’s lead author, knew through previous work that UD1022 was beneficial to legumes, such as peas and lentils. She wondered if UD1022 would help alfalfa fend off common fungal diseases. So, she challenged four different fungal pathogens with UD1022 in the laboratory to see if it prevented the fungus from infecting the alfalfa. It did.

Read on: https://phys.org/news/2023-04-beneficial-bacteria-double-edged-sword.html