Evaluation of the ability of soybean-associated bacteria to inhibit the growth of phytopathogenic fungi

• Grant number: 22/00160-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal researcher: Paulo José Pereira Lima Teixeira
• Grantee: Carolina Decico Negri
• Home Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) is the fourth most consumed and produced grain in the world, with Brazil being the largest producer and exporter. Therefore, there is a constant search for ways to help farmers deal with fungal diseases, such as Asian soybean rust, anthracnose, charcoal root rot, red root rot and white mold. Currently, management is mostly done through the use of chemical fungicides, which can be harmful to the environment. As an alternative, in recent years, there has been a growth in research focused on plant-pathogen-microbiome interactions to identify potential biocontrol agents in the microbiota naturally associated with plants. Thus, this project aims to evaluate a soybean-associated bacteria collection for their capacity to inhibit the growth of the most important pathogenic fungi of this crop. For this, soybean bacteria isolates will be selected from a collection built by our laboratory (Soybiome) and evaluated regarding their ability to inhibit the germination of the fungus that causes Asian soybean rust, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, and their ability to inhibit the grow of other pathogenic fungi (Fusarium tucumaniae, Colletotrichum truncatum, Macrophomina phaseolina and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). This project will provide a deeper understanding on plant microbiomes as alternatives to control fungal diseases, which can contribute to increased productivity and sustainable development in agriculture. (AU)