AUTHOR=Zhu Xuetai , Ma Kaili , Sun Mingyue , Zhang Jinming , Liu Lijuan , Niu Shiquan 

TITLE=Isolation and identification of pathogens of Morchella sextelata bacterial disease

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1231353

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1231353

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Morel mushroom (<italic>Morchella</italic> spp.) is a rare edible and medicinal fungus distributed worldwide. It is highly desired by the majority of consumers. Bacterial diseases have been commonly observed during artificial cultivation of <italic>Morchella sextelata</italic>. Bacterial pathogens spread rapidly and cause a wide range of infections, severely affecting the yield and quality of <italic>M. sextelata</italic>. In this study, two strains of bacterial pathogens, named M-B and M-5, were isolated, cultured, and purified from the tissues of the infected <italic>M. sextelata</italic>. Koch’s postulates were used to determine the pathogenicity of bacteria affecting <italic>M. sextelata</italic>, and the pathogens were identified through morphological observation, physiological and biochemical analyses, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Subsequently, the effect of temperature on the growth of pathogenic bacteria, the inhibitory effect of the bacteria on <italic>M. sextelata</italic> on plates, and the changes in mycelial morphology of <italic>M. sextelata</italic> mycelium were analyzed when <italic>M. sextelata</italic> mycelium was double-cultured with pathogenic bacteria on plates. The results revealed that M-B was <italic>Pseudomonas chlororaphis</italic> subsp. <italic>aureofaciens</italic> and M-5 was <italic>Bacillus subtilis</italic>. Strain M-B started to multiply at 10–15°C, and strain M-5 started at 15–20°C. On the plates, the pathogenic bacteria also produced significant inhibition of <italic>M. sextelata</italic> mycelium, and the observation of mycelial morphology under the scanning electron microscopy revealed that the inhibited mycelium underwent obvious drying and crumpling, and the healthy mycelium were more plump. Thus, this study clarified the pathogens, optimal growth environment, and characteristics of <italic>M. sextelata</italic> bacterial diseases, thereby providing valuable basic data for the disease prevention and control of <italic>Morchella</italic> production.</p>