Endophytic biofungicide Bacillus subtilis (NBRI-W9) reshapes the metabolic homeostasis disrupted by the chemical fungicide, propiconazole in tomato plants to provide sustainable immunity against non-target bacterial pathogens

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 343; p. 123144
• Main Authors: Yadav, Udit, Anand, Vandana, Kumar, Sanjeev, Srivastava, Suchi, Mishra, Shashank K., Chauhan, Puneet Singh, Singh, Poonam C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15-02-2024
• Subjects: Endophytes; Integrated pest management; Metabolic homeostasis; Plant's immunity; Psuedomonas syringae; Sustainable agriculture; Plant's immunity; Metabolic homeostasis; Bacillus subtilis strain NBRI-W9; Sustainable agriculture; Propiconazole; Psuedomonas syringae; Pseudomonas syringae; Endophytes; Integrated pest management
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123144

Chemical and microbial fungicides (Bio/fungicide) act differentially on plant systems. The present work assessed the metabolic profile of tomato plants vis-a-vis endophytic diversity after spraying of Propiconazole (PCZ) and endophytic biofungicide Bacillus subtilis (W9). Bio/fungicides were sprayed on tomato plants and evaluated for phenotypic, biochemical, and metabolic profiles after one week. In W9 treatment, a significant increase in relative abundance of several metabolites was observed including sugars, sugar alcohols, fatty-acids, organic-acids, and amino-acids. Polysaccharides and fatty acids showed a significant positive correlation with Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales, Bacillales, and Lactobacillales, respectively (p < 0.05). The PCZ and W9 treated plant's metabolic status significantly affected their resistance to non-target, bacterial pathogen P. syringae. Compared to PCZ and control, W9 treatment reduced the ROS deposition and expression of antioxidants gene GPx, PO (~0.1–1.7fold). It enhanced the genes related to the Phenylpropanoid pathway (∼1.6–5.2 fold), PR protein (~1.2–3.4 fold), and JA biosynthesis (~1.7–4.3 fold), resulting in reduced disease incidence. The results provide novel insights into the effects of endophytic biofungicide and chemical fungicides on the plant's metabolic status, its relation to the endophytes, and role in altering the plant's immune system.
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•Metabolic homeostasis of tomato is modulated by chemical and biologicals fungicides.•Systemic fungicide application reduced the plant's immunity to non-target pathogens.•Spray of endophytic bio-fungicides enhanced plant's immunity to non-target pathogen.