AUTHOR=Ahmad Tanvir , Xing Fuguo , Nie Chengrong , Cao Changyu , Xiao Ying , Yu Xi , Moosa Anam , Liu Yang 

TITLE=Biocontrol potential of lipopeptides produced by the novel Bacillus subtilis strain Y17B against postharvest Alternaria fruit rot of cherry

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1150217

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1150217

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The use of synthetic fungicides against postharvest <italic>Alternaria</italic> rot adversely affects human health and the environment. In this study, as a safe alternative to fungicides, <italic>Bacillus subtilis</italic> strain Y17B isolated from soil exhibited significant antifungal activity against <italic>Alternaria alternata.</italic> Y17B was identified as <italic>B. subtilis</italic> based on phenotypic identification and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. To reveal the antimicrobial activity of this strain, a PCR-based study detected the presence of antifungal lipopeptide (LP) biosynthetic genes from genomic DNA. UPLC Q TOF mass spectrometry analysis detected the LPs surfactin (m/z 994.64, 1022.68, and 1026.62), iturin (m/z 1043.56), and fengycin (m/z 1491.85) in the extracted LP crude of <italic>B. subtilis</italic> Y17B. <italic>In vitro</italic> antagonistic study demonstrated the efficiency of LPs in inhibiting <italic>A. alternata</italic> growth. Microscopy (SEM and TEM) studies showed the alteration of the morphology of <italic>A. alternata</italic> in the interaction with LPs. <italic>In vivo</italic> test results revealed the efficiency of LPs in reducing the growth of the <italic>A. alternata</italic> pathogen. The overall results highlight the biocontrol potential of LPs produced by <italic>B. subtilis</italic> Y17B as an effective biological control agent against <italic>A. alternata</italic> fruit rot of cherry.</p>