Browsing by Author "Gustavo Santoyo"

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Agroecological Management of the Grey Mould Fungus Botrytis cinerea by Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria
(MDPI, 2023) Ma. del Carmen Orozco-Mosqueda; Ajay Kumar; Ayomide Emmanuel Fadiji; Olubukola Oluranti Babalola; Gerardo Puopolo; Gustavo Santoyo
Botrytis cinerea is the causal agent of grey mould and one of the most important plant pathogens in the world because of the damage it causes to fruits and vegetables. Although the application of botrycides is one of the most common plant protection strategies used in the world, the application of plant-beneficial bacteria might replace botrycides facilitating agroecological production practices. Based on this, we reviewed the different stages of B. cinerea infection in plants and the biocontrol mechanisms exerted by plant-beneficial bacteria, including the well-known plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Some PGPB mechanisms to control grey mould disease include antibiosis, space occupation, nutrient uptake, ethylene modulation, and the induction of plant defence mechanisms. In addition, recent studies on the action of anti-Botrytis compounds produced by PGPB and how they damage the conidial and mycelial structures of the pathogen are reviewed. Likewise, the advantages of individual inoculations of PGPB versus those that require the joint action of antagonist agents (microbial consortia) are discussed. Finally, it should be emphasised that PGPB are an excellent option to prevent grey mould in different crops and their use should be expanded for environmentally friendly agricultural practices. © 2023 by the authors.
Deciphering the role of endophytic microbiome in postharvest diseases management of fruits: Opportunity areas in commercial up-scale production
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2022) Madhuree Kumari; Kamal A. Qureshi; Mariusz Jaremko; James White; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Vijay Kumar Sharma; Kshitij Kumar Singh; Gustavo Santoyo; Gerardo Puopolo; Ajay Kumar
As endophytes are widely distributed in the plant’s internal compartments and despite having enormous potential as a biocontrol agent against postharvest diseases of fruits, the fruit–endophyte–pathogen interactions have not been studied detail. Therefore, this review aims to briefly discuss the colonization patterns of endophytes and pathogens in the host tissue, the diversity and distribution patterns of endophytes in the carposphere of fruits, and host–endophyte–pathogen interactions and the molecular mechanism of the endophytic microbiome in postharvest disease management in fruits. Postharvest loss management is one of the major concerns of the current century. It is considered a critical challenge to food security for the rising global population. However, to manage the postharvest loss, still, a large population relies on chemical fungicides, which affect food quality and are hazardous to health and the surrounding environment. However, the scientific community has searched for alternatives for the last two decades. In this context, endophytic microorganisms have emerged as an economical, sustainable, and viable option to manage postharvest pathogens with integral colonization properties and eliciting a defense response against pathogens. This review extensively summarizes recent developments in endophytic interactions with harvested fruits and pathogens—the multiple biocontrol traits of endophytes and colonization and diversity patterns of endophytes. In addition, the upscale commercial production of endophytes for postharvest disease treatment is discussed. Copyright © 2022 Kumari, Qureshi, Jaremko, White, Singh, Sharma, Singh, Santoyo, Puopolo and Kumar.
Effect of Microbial Consortium Constructed with Lignolytic Ascomycetes Fungi on Degradation of Rice Stubble
(MDPI, 2023) Kallinkal Sobha Sruthy; Livleen Shukla; Aditi Kundu; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Hissah Abdulrahman Alodaini; Ashraf Atef Hatamleh; Gustavo Santoyo; Ajay Kumar
Microbial degradation is an effective, eco-friendly and sustainable approach for management of the rice residue. After harvesting a rice crop, removal of stubble from the ground is a challenging task, that forces the farmers to burn the residue in-situ. Therefore, accelerated degradation using an eco-friendly alternative is a necessity. White rot fungi are the most explored group of microbes for accelerated degradation of lignin but they are very slow in growth. The present investigation focuses on degradation of rice stubble using a fungal consortium constructed with highly sporulating ascomycetes fungi, namely, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria spp. All three species were successful at colonizing the rice stubble. Periodical HPLC analysis of rice stubble alkali extracts revealed that incubation with ligninolytic consortium released various lignin degradation products such as vanillin, vanillic acid, coniferyl alcohol, syringic acid and ferulic acid. The efficiency of the consortium was further studied at different dosages on paddy straw. Maximum lignin degradation was observed when the consortium was applied at 15% volume by weight of rice stubble. Maximum activity of different lignolytic enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, laccase and total phenols was also found with the same treatment. FTIR analysis also supported the observed results. Hence, the presently developed consortium for degrading rice stubble was found to be effective in both laboratory and field conditions. The developed consortium or its oxidative enzymes can be used alone or combined with other commercial cellulolytic consortia to manage the accumulating rice stubble effectively. © 2023 by the authors.
Enhancing Biocrust Development and Plant Growth through Inoculation of Desiccation-Tolerant Cyanobacteria in Different Textured Soils
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2023) Priya Yadav; Rahul Prasad Singh; Abeer Hashem; Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah; Gustavo Santoyo; Ajay Kumar; Rajan Kumar Gupta
In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the utilization of cyanobacteria for the purpose of land rehabilitation via enhancements in soil fertility, prevent erosion, and counter desertification. This study evaluated the ability of Nostoc calcicola BOT1, Scytonema sp. BOT2, and their consortia to form biocrusts on the substrate of coarse sand, fine sand, and loamy soil. A nutrient- and water-deficient substrate was inoculated with cyanobacteria to facilitate biocrust formation and evaluate their impact on agriculture. Cyanobacteria inoculation resulted in significant improvements in soil fertility, especially in coarse and fine sand, which initially had the lowest fertility. The findings of this investigation underscore that the consortium of cyanobacteria exhibited greater efficacy than individual strains in enhancing soil fertility and stimulating plant growth. The loamy soil treated with the consortium had the highest plant growth across all soil types, in contrast to the individual strains. The consortium of cyanobacteria showed promising results in promoting biocrust formation and fostering rice seedling growth in fine sand. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the potential utility of cyanobacterial consortia as a valuable tool for the rehabilitation of degraded land. Furthermore, the results indicate that cyanobacterial species can persist in soil environments even following prolonged periods of desiccation. © 2023 by the authors.
Impact of dehydration on the physiochemical properties of Nostoc calcicola BOT1 and its untargeted metabolic profiling through UHPLC-HRMS
(Frontiers Media SA, 2023) Priya Yadav; Rahul Prasad Singh; Hissah Abdulrahman Alodaini; Ashraf Atef Hatamleh; Gustavo Santoyo; Ajay Kumar; Rajan Kumar Gupta
The global population growth has led to a higher demand for food production, necessitating improvements in agricultural productivity. However, abiotic and biotic stresses pose significant challenges, reducing crop yields and impacting economic and social welfare. Drought, in particular, severely constrains agriculture, resulting in unproductive soil, reduced farmland, and jeopardized food security. Recently, the role of cyanobacteria from soil biocrusts in rehabilitating degraded land has gained attention due to their ability to enhance soil fertility and prevent erosion. The present study focused on Nostoc calcicola BOT1, an aquatic, diazotrophic cyanobacterial strain collected from an agricultural field at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. The aim was to investigate the effects of different dehydration treatments, specifically air drying (AD) and desiccator drying (DD) at various time intervals, on the physicochemical properties of N. calcicola BOT1. The impact of dehydration was assessed by analyzing the photosynthetic efficiency, pigments, biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, osmoprotectants), stress biomarkers, and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Furthermore, an analysis of the metabolic profiles of 96-hour DD and control mats was conducted using UHPLC-HRMS. Notably, there was a significant decrease in amino acid levels, while phenolic content, fatty acids, and lipids increased. These changes in metabolic activity during dehydration highlighted the presence of metabolite pools that contribute to the physiological and biochemical adjustments of N. calcicola BOT1, mitigating the impact of dehydration to some extent. Overall, present study demonstrated the accumulation of biochemical and non-enzymatic antioxidants in dehydrated mats, which could be utilized to stabilize unfavorable environmental conditions. Additionally, the strain N. calcicola BOT1 holds promise as a biofertilizer for semi-arid regions. Copyright © 2023 Yadav, Singh, Alodaini, Hatamleh, Santoyo, Kumar and Gupta.
Special Issue “Microbial Endophytes: Functional Biology and Applications”: Editorial
(MDPI, 2023) Ajay Kumar; Gustavo Santoyo; James F. White; Virendra Kumar Mishra
[No abstract available]
The potential application of endophytes in management of stress from drought and salinity in crop plants
(MDPI AG, 2021) Hariom Verma; Dharmendra Kumar; Vinod Kumar; Madhuree Kumari; Sandeep Kumar Singh; Vijay Kumar Sharma; Samir Droby; Gustavo Santoyo; James F. White; Ajay Kumar
Endophytic microorganisms present inside the host plant play an essential role in host fitness, nutrient supply and stress tolerance. Endophytes are often used in sustainable agriculture as biofertilizers, biopesticides and as inoculants to mitigate abiotic stresses including salinity, drought, cold and pH variation in the soil. In changing climatic conditions, abiotic stresses create global challenges to achieve optimum crop yields in agricultural production. Plants experience stress conditions that involve endogenous boosting of their immune system or the overexpression of their defensive redox regulatory systems with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, rising stress factors overwhelm the natural redox protection systems of plants, which leads to massive internal oxidative damage and death. Endophytes are an integral internal partner of hosts and have been shown to mitigate abiotic stresses via modulating local or systemic mechanisms and producing antioxidants to counteract ROS in plants. Advancements in omics and other technologies have been made, but potential application of endophytes remains largely unrealized. In this review article, we will discuss the diversity, population and interaction of endophytes with crop plants as well as potential applications in abiotic stress management. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.