Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JK2 suppresses Phytophthora capsici via genetic information disruption and ROS modulation in pepper plants
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Phytophthora capsici, a devastating soil-borne oomycete pathogen, poses a significant threat to global pepper production. Biocontrol using antagonistic bacteria offers a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides. In this study, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JK2, isolated from peach, exhibited 90.48% in vitro inhibition against P. capsici. Transcriptomic analysis identified 2,464 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in P. capsici under JK2 co-culture, with downregulation in ribosome biogenesis and RNA polymerase pathways, and upregulation in fatty acid degradation and amino acid biosynthesis. These findings suggest that JK2 disrupts RNA synthesis and protein translation, thereby inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Pot experiments demonstrated that JK2 reduced disease incidence by 27.67%, and delayed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, while enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD, 159.39%), peroxidase (POD, 93.37%), and catalase (CAT, 479.19%) activities in pepper plants. Our results highlight JK2's dual role in directly suppressing P. capsici and priming host antioxidant defenses, positioning it as a promising biocontrol agent for sustainable agriculture.
Source: Technology in Horticulture
Authors: Yongdong Xie, Yue Zhang, Fengling Gu, Qiyu Lu, Xuena Yu, Zhiyao Wu, Mengwei Chen, Qiliang Guo, Jiawen Zhu, Yi Tang, Ji Liu
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412879332