Endophytic Lelliottia nimipressuralis G24: A Potential Biocontrol Agent for Managing Phelipanche aegyptiaca

Potencial biocontrolador de Purpureocillium lilacinum contra Meloidogyne incognita en condiciones controladas

Meloidogyne incognita is one of the most economically important plant-parasitic nematodes, causing substantial yield losses in horticultural crops worldwide. The increasing restrictions on chemical nematicides have intensified the search for sustainable biological control alternatives. This study evaluated the biocontrol potential of three Purpureocillium lilacinum isolates (CEP1, CEP2, and CEP3) against M. incognita in tomato plants under controlled conditions. The number of root galls, second-stage juvenile (J2) density per gram of soil, fungal colonization of the root system and soil, and fresh and dry root biomass were assessed. Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed to investigate the relationships among nematological, microbiological, and agronomic variables. All P. lilacinum isolates significantly suppressed nematode development compared with the infested control. Isolate CEP1 exhibited the highest biocontrol efficacy, reducing root gall formation by 93.9% and J2 density by 89.8%. CEP1 also achieved the greatest root colonization (70.7%) and soil colonization (33.3), which was associated with increased fresh (7.3 g plant⁻¹) and dry (1.10 g plant⁻¹) root biomass. Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between root gall formation and J2 density (r = 0.68), whereas both variables were negatively correlated with fungal colonization and root biomass. PCA explained 91.9% of the total data variability and clearly separated the infested control from the fungal treatments, highlighting the close association between P. lilacinum establishment, nematode suppression, and improved root development. These findings demonstrate that P. lilacinum, particularly isolate CEP1, is a promising biological control agent for the sustainable management of M. incognita in tomato production systems and supports its integration into environmentally friendly nematode management strategies

The Suppressive Impact of Mycorrhizal Fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis and Piriformospora indica) on Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Lettuce

Field Efficacy of Pasteuria penetrans against Meloidogyne incognita infecting Tuberose

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is a commercially important ornamental crop valued for its attractive flowers and pleasant fragrance. However, its productivity is severely affected by the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, which contribute to nearly 10% of global yield reduction in tuberose. The present study was undertaken to develop a water-soluble formulation (WSF) of Pasteuria penetrans and to evaluate its efficacy under both microplot and field conditions. Under microplot conditions, application of P. penetrans at 2ml WSF per plant significantly enhanced the plant growth, recording 42.5% increase in the shoot length and 55.64% in shoot weight compared with the untreated control. The field trial demonstrated that application of the WSF at 2ml per plant reduced the root gall formation and egg mass production by 28.5% and 19.5%, respectively. These findings indicate that the developed watersoluble formulation of P. penetrans has considerable potential as an effective biological management tool against root-knot nematodes and could be standardized for commercial application in tuberose cultivation.

Multifunctional endophytic bacteria in taro suppress Phytophthora colocasiae and enhance plant growth: a sustainable biocontrol approach

This is the first report describing Bacillus stercoris as a multifunctional endophytic biocontrol and plant growth-promoting bacterium associated with taro, highlighting their potential as eco-friendly bioinoculants for the sustainable management of taro leaf blight.

Metarhizium anisopliae reduces Meloidogyne incognita reproduction and promotes tomato plant growth

Root-knot nematodes, especially Meloidogyne incognita, cause substantial yield losses in tomato production and remain one of the most challenging soilborne pathogens in Brazil. The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae has been recognized for both its nematicidal activity and its capacity to promote plant growth, although these two functions have rarely been demonstrated simultaneously in the same study. This work evaluated the effectiveness of M. anisopliae in stimulating tomato growth and reducing M. incognita reproduction under in vitro and greenhouse conditions. Three experiments were conducted using tomato hybrid ‘Sophia’, with treatments including fungal application, nematode inoculation, and their combination. In both experiments, M. anisopliae significantly increased plant height, shoot fresh mass, and root fresh mass compared with untreated controls. The effect of M. anisopliae was also directly evaluated on egg masses under in vitro conditions to verify the hatching rate of juveniles. When applied to nematode-infested plants, the fungus reduced nematode reproduction by 56% in Experiment 1 (FR: 4.2 to 1.8) and by 55% in Experiment 2 (FR: 5.2 to 2.3).Single and double applications of M. anisopliae produced similar agronomic responses, indicating that one application was sufficient for growth promotion. Overall, the results demonstrate that M. anisopliae acts as both a plant growth promoter and an effective biological control agent against M. incognita, bringing greater prominence to the management of plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes in tomato.

Isolation and in vitro Evaluation of Antagonistic Bacterial Endophytes from Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. against Magnaporthe oryzae

Findings identify finger millet-associated endophytes, particularly isolate AN6, as promising candidates for the biological management of rice blast disease, and require further greenhouse and field evaluations to confirm their efficacy under natural conditions.