AUTHOR=Zhang Renjun , Ouyang Jin , Xu Xingyang , Li Jie , Rehman Muzammal , Deng Gang , Shu Jie , Zhao Dake , Chen Suiyun , Sayyed R. Z. , Fahad Shah , Chen Yaqiong 

TITLE=Nematicidal Activity of Burkholderia arboris J211 Against Meloidogyne incognita on Tobacco

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.915546

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.915546

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Root-knot nematode (<italic>Meloidogyne incognita</italic>) is the most widespread nematode affecting Solanaceae crops. Due to the lack of effective measures to control this nematode, its management can be achieved, using biocontrol agents. This study investigated <italic>in vitro</italic> efficacy of the antagonistic bacterial strain J211 isolated from tobacco rhizosphere soil against <italic>M. incognita</italic>, and further assessed its role in controlling nematodes, both in pot and field trials. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain J211 assigned to <italic>Burkholderia arboris</italic>. Culture filtrates <italic>B. arboris</italic> J211 exhibited anematicidal activity against the second-stage juveniles (J2s) of <italic>M. incognita</italic>, with a 96.6% mortality after 24 h exposure. Inoculation of J211 in tobacco roots significantly reduced the root galling caused by <italic>M. incognita</italic>, both in pot and field trials. Meanwhile, plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits results showed that J211 had outstanding IAA-producing activity, and the IAA production reached 66.60 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. In the field study, <italic>B. arboris</italic> J211 also promoted tobacco growth and increase flue-cured tobacco yield by 8.7–24.3%. Overall, <italic>B. arboris</italic> J211 as a high-yielding IAA nematicidal strain effectively controlled <italic>M. incognita</italic> and improved tobacco yield making it a promising alternative bionematocide.</p>