Selection of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains optimized for the biocontrol of soybean root-knot nematodes

• Grant number: 15/22697-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: August 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Frederico Carlos Moraes da Rocha
• Grantee: Frederico Carlos Moraes da Rocha
• Company: Venbion Serviços de Laboratório Ltda
• City: Santana de Parnaíba
• Associated researchers: Frederico José Gueiros Filho

Abstract

The loss of soy bean due to nematode infected areas vary from 10 to 20% of the total production, signifying an estimated loss of 100 to 200 million reais. Therefore, the economical damage for the cultivation of soy bean due to nematodes is very significant and should increase due to agricultural habits and the concomitant use of pesticides promoting the surgence of resistant variant forms. Bio control of plagues has emerged as an alternative for the use of pesticides. Amongst the various attractions to use bio control we observe less damage to the environment and less toxic effects more directed towards phyto-patogens. Organisms supressors of phyto-patogens with a vast application potential are bacteria that naturally colonize the roots of plants, rhizobacteria. The ratio rhizobacteria/plant can be very benefic for plants since these bacteria solubilize phosphorus, produce auxins that stimulate plant growth, antibiotics and siderophores agains phyto-patogens like fungi, bacteria and nematodes. Recent studies suggest that there must be an ideal combination of bacteria adapted to be soil and plant specific to have an efficient colonization of the risosphere. An alternative to increase the effectiveness of the cell lines of bio control that does not require an extensive customization of the colonization process would be to increase the capacity of production of the effector agents of the pesticide activity. This project proposes to use the power of genetic improvement to obtain the following objectives: 1) identify mutants of Bacillus amyloliquefasciens FZB42 with an increased nematicidal activity and or nematostatic against Meloidogyne, a nematode responsible for great losses of soy bean; 2) identify mutants of FZB42 with the capacity of repelling Meloidogyne; 3) compare the activity of the isolated strains in (1) and (2) with commercially available strains in green house. We postulate that the combined use of strains with elevated capacity to repel and inactivate Meloidogyne can have a synergistic effect in the protection against this pathogen and represent a product for bio control with a superior and more consistent activity than those available in the market. (AU)