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Title
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The biocontrol agent Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AMBP214 is dispersible to plants via bumblebees
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Author
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Abstract
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| Microbial biocontrol agents have emerged as a promising alternative for the management of plant diseases and the reduction of chemical pesticide dependence. However, a significant challenge in using these agents is their inconsistent performance under field conditions, often caused by the poor establishment and limited spread of microorganisms. Entomovectoring, a system where microbial biocontrol agents are dispersed to crops via pollinators, provides a potential solution to these challenges. Still, there are limited examples of successful systems, and no studies have tested this technology with versatile and generally beneficial lactobacilli. Here, we demonstrate that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AMBP214 shows potential as a biocontrol agent displaying antimicrobial activity in an in vitro and a gnotobiotic seedling experiment, and the ability to establish itself in strawberry flowers. An innovative formulation and dispersal strategy were proven successful with this strain, as it could be formulated into a spray-dried powder that could be loaded onto bumblebees via a dispenser. When loaded bumblebees were released into a greenhouse with strawberry plants, L. plantarum AMBP214 was effectively dispersed to flowers, resulting in high bacterial abundances (on average 1 x 10(5) CFUs per flower) and consistent coverage across all sampled flowers. We could not show a protective effect of AMBP214 against Botrytis cinerea in a greenhouse trial with strawberry flowers under the tested conditions, so that further screening of other strains against this major pathogen will be necessary. However, our study provides the necessary proof of concept data that spray-dried lactobacilli can be used with entomovectoring, providing a novel and promising approach to biocontrol. These results pave the way for further research and development of spray-dried non-spore-forming bacteria in entomovectoring strategies, which hold great promise for enhancing plant health and mitigating the negative impacts of plant diseases. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Applied and environmental microbiology. - Baltimore, Md
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Publication
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Washington
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Amer soc microbiology
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2023
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ISSN
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0099-2240
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DOI
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10.1128/AEM.00950-23
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Volume/pages
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(2023)
, p. 1-17
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ISI
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001099067600001
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Pubmed ID
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37882529
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (open access)
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