Browsing by Author "Vaishali Shukla"

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Activation of defense response in common bean against stem rot disease triggered by Trichoderma erinaceum and Trichoderma viride
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2021) Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Manish Kumar Dubey; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
White mold and stem rot is a common disease of Phaseolus vulgaris caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Biological control is a promising alternative for the control of this disease. In the present study, two Trichoderma spp., T. erinaceum and T. viride, and the consortium of both were evaluated as biocontrol agents against sclerotinia stem rot disease. The results revealed that T. erinaceum (NAIMCC-F-02171) and T. viride (NAIMCC-F-02500) when applied alone, significantly suppressed the infection rate of S. sclerotiorum and increased the rate of survival of plants by 74.5%. On the contrary, the combination of both the Trichoderma spp. was found to be more effective in reducing stem rot by 57.2% and increasing the survival of plants by 87.5% when compared to the individual Trichoderma applications. Further, the exogenous supplementation of Trichoderma activated antioxidative machineries, such as peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbic acid in the plant. Besides, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide-free radical accumulation were also found to be reduced when T. erinaceum and T. viride were used either individually or in combination under the pathogen-challenged condition. Additionally, the photopigments in the bioprimed plants were markedly increased. Moreover, the combined inoculation of the two isolates yielded the highest records of growth parameters (root weight, shoot length, and leaf weight) compared with individual inoculation. Therefore, based on the above results, it was concluded that the combination of T. erinaceum and T. viride can be effectively used as an alternative to control white mold and stem rot caused by S. sclerotiorum. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH
Bacillus subtilis- and Pseudomonas fluorescens-Mediated Systemic Resistance in Tomato Against Sclerotium rolfsii and Study of Physio-Chemical Alterations
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2022) Vaishali Shukla; Sunil Kumar; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Ram S. Upadhyay
The present study is a comparative study between Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) signaling and antioxidative enzymatic signaling and deals with induced systemic resistance (ISR) in enhancing the disease resistance in typical tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L.) infected by the collar rot fungus, Sclerotium rolfsii (Teleomorph: Athelia rolfsii) by priming with Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and their microbial consortia by a single strain of Bacillus subtilis, and P. fluorescens as well as by developed microbial consortium with both bacteria. Leaf samples were collected after different durations of pathogen inoculation, i.e., 1, 2, 3, and 4 days, and the systemic level of oxidative stress parameters, such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), photosynthetic apparatus, superoxide radicals, and enzymatic antioxidants, were studied. Plant mortality under various treatments in two different seasons was calculated. The highest H2O2 was scavenged by the microbial consortium-treated plants (B1P1) and the lowest in pathogen-challenged plants (PC) compared to the untreated control. Cellular damage and reduction in the chlorophyll pigments were the highest at 48 h, and the photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) was evaluated from 24 to 96 h; the lowest values were observed for pathogen-challenged plants and the highest for B1P1. Enzymatic antioxidants showed the maximum value for B1P1 and the minimum for PC compared to the unchallenged control. Furthermore, an analysis of variance and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted to examine the effect of the evaluation time (ET) and inoculation conditions (ICs) alone and in combination (ET × IC) on the physiological and biochemical parameters; accordingly, the score and the loading plots were constructed. Tomato root sections inoculated with different treatments were observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to validate the potentiality of primed biocontrol agents in controlling the invasion of the pathogen. Further studies on the potential of this isolate to enhance the plant growth at the field level would strengthen the possibility of using the isolate as an alternative for organic fertilizers and pesticides. Copyright © 2022 Shukla, Kumar, Tripathi and Upadhyay.
Biochemical changes, antioxidative profile, and efficacy of the bio-stimulant in plant defense response against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in common bean (Phasaeolus vulgaris L.)
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Mohd Aamir; Kumari Divyanshu; Mukesh Yadav; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a highly destructive pathogen with widespread impact on common bean (Phasaeolus vulgaris L.) worldwide. In this work, we investigated the efficacy of microbial consortia in bolstering host defense against sclerotinia rot. Specifically, we evaluated the performance of a microbial consortia comprising of Trichoderma erinaceum (T51) and Trichoderma viride (T52) (referred to as the T4 treatment) in terms of biochemical parameters, alleviation of the ROS induced cellular toxicity, membrane integrity (measured as MDA content), nutrient profiling, and the host defense-related antioxidative enzyme activities. Our findings demonstrate a notable enhancement in thiamine content, exhibiting 1.887 and 1.513-fold higher in the T4 compared to the un-inoculated control and the T1 treatment (only S. sclerotiorum treated). Similarly, the total proline content exhibited 3.46 and 1.24-fold higher and the total phenol content was 4.083 and 2.625-fold higher in the T4 compared to the un-inoculated control and the T1 treatment, respectively. Likewise, a general trend was found for other antioxidative and non-oxidative enzyme activities. However, results found were approximately similar in T2 treatment (bioprimed with T51) or T3 treatments (bioprimed with T52). Further, host defense attribute (survival rate) under the pathogen challenged condition was maximum in the T4 (15.55 % disease incidence) compared to others. Therefore, bio priming with consortia could be useful in reducing the economic losses incited by S. sclerotiorum in common beans. © 2023
Endophytic fungi: diversity and their relevance in sustainable agriculture
(Elsevier, 2024) Sunil Kumar; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Vaishali Shukla; Rahul Prasad Singh; Ajay Kumar; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
The extensive use of chemicals to increase agriculture productivity has disturbed the delicate ecological balance, resulting in pathogen resistance and health risks for other living beings, including humans. A growing interest has been shown in finding eco-friendly and safe ways to increase sustainable agriculture productivity. Fungal endophytes are a significant component of plant micro-ecosystems and have been found in many plant species. They solubilize insoluble phosphates and produce plant growth-promoting hormones, including auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. Fungal endophytes are common in many plant species and are an important component of plant micro-ecosystems. Fungal endophytes are an important component of plant micro-ecosystems and have been found in a wide range of plant species. They dissolve insoluble phosphates and produce plant growth hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. Because of the beneficial activities of fungal endophytes, research on the plant–fungus relationship has increased dramatically in recent years. Recently, genetically modified endophytes were used by researchers to improve plant productivity and defensive properties. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Fungal endophytes: Classification, diversity, ecological role, and their relevance in sustainable agriculture
(Elsevier, 2019) Mohd Aamir; Krishna Kumar Rai; Andleeb Zehra; Sunil Kumar; Mukesh Yadav; Vaishali Shukla; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Endophyte is defined as an important group of widespread and diverse plant symbionts that live asymptomatically and sometimes systematically within plant tissues without any harm or causing diseases in host plants. Fungal endophytes establish a beneficial symbiotic relationship with host plants and have been demonstrated to have high impact on host plants. The association of fungal communities with their host plants improves growth, immunity, and overall developments of plants. The fungal endophytes have been reported for unrevealing benefits to their host plants including plant growth promotion, production of secondary metabolites, and other bioactive compounds, amelioration of various abiotic and biotic stresses, improving agricultural productivity, providing disease resistance against dreadful phytopathogens, all of which promotes the crop production through sustainable approaches. Further, the investigation of defensive mechanism provided by these fungal communities would be helpful in their utilization at commercial scale for bio-formulations. Endophytic fungus represents formerly uncharted fungal lineages and comprises vast amounts of fungal diversity in associated plants Therefore, there is a high probability of discovering potential endophytic fungi with major application in all sectors including agriculture, therapeutic, and for commercial exploitation. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Identification of hub genes and potential networks by centrality network analysis of PCR amplified Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici EF1α gene
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2024) Yashoda N. Tripathi; Vinay K. Singh; Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Mukesh Yadav; Ram S. Upadhyay
Background: Fusarium wilt is a devastating soil-borne fungal disease of tomato across the world. Conventional method of disease prevention including usage of common pesticides and methods like soil solarisation are usually ineffective in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify virulence related genes in the pathogen which can be targeted for fungicide development. Results: Pathogenicity testing and phylogenetic classification of the pathogen used in this study confirmed it as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) strain. A recent discovery indicates that EF1α, a protein with conserved structural similarity across several fungal genera, has a role in the pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae, the rice blast fungus. Therefore, in this study we have done structural and functional classification of EF1α to understand its role in pathogenicity of Fol. The protein model of Fol EF1α was created using the template crystal structure of the yeast elongation factor complex EEF1A:EEF1BA which showed maximum similarity with the target protein. Using the STRING online database, the interactive information among the hub genes of EF1α was identified and the protein–protein interaction network was recognized using the Cytoscape software. On combining the results of functional analysis, MCODE, CytoNCA and CytoHubba 4 hub genes including Fol EF1α were selected for further investigation. The three interactors of Fol EF1α showed maximum similarity with homologous proteins found in Neurospora crassa complexed with the known fungicide, cycloheximide. Through the sequence similarity and PDB database analysis, homologs of Fol EF1α were found: EEF1A:EEF1BA in complex with GDPNP in yeast and EF1α in complex with GDP in Sulfolobus solfataricus. The STITCH database analysis suggested that EF1α and its other interacting partners interact with guanosine diphosphate (GDPNP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP). Conclusions: Our study offers a framework for recognition of several hub genes network in Fusarium wilt that can be used as novel targets for fungicide development. The involvement of EF1α in nucleocytoplasmic transport pathway suggests that it plays role in GTP binding and thus apart from its use as a biomarker, it may be further exploited as an effective target for fungicide development. Since, the three other proteins that were found to be tightly associated Fol EF1α have shown maximum similarity with homologous proteins of Neurospora crassa that form complex with fungicide- Cycloheximide. Therefore, we suggest that cycloheximide can also be used against Fusarium wilt disease in tomato. The active site cavity of Fol EF1α can also be determined for computational screening of fungicides using the homologous proteins observed in yeast and Sulfolobus solfataricus. On this basis, we also suggest that the other closely associated genes that have been identified through STITCH analysis, they can also be targeted for fungicide development. © The Author(s) 2024.
Microbial bioformulation-based plant biostimulants: a plausible approach toward next generation of sustainable agriculture
(Elsevier, 2020) Mohd Aamir; Krishna Kumar Rai; Andleeb Zehra; Manish Kumar Dubey; Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Ram S. Upadhyay
In context to sustainable agriculture practices, the agro-ecological system aims at optimizing the economic and environmental performances of beneficial ecosystem services to optimize the agricultural food production for future growing population, preserving the natural resources. The synthetic chemicals used in the agriculture to increase yields, kill pathogens, pests, and weeds have a big harmful impact on the ecosystem. Biostimulants can be used as a tool to complement the use of chemical inputs, by involving nonliving-based products, or living-based products, containing beneficial rhizosphere microbiome, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and beneficial fungi. Increase in soil fertility, plant growth promotion, and suppression of phytopathogens are the targets of the bioformulation industry that leads to the development of ecofriendly environment. Pest management research has also made major advances in the development of efficient biocontrol methods. Elicitors and semiochemicals are considered to be some of the most promising tools for inducing plant resistance to various diseases and enhancing natural predation, respectively. Bioformulations offer an environmentally sustainable approach to increase crop production and health, contributing substantially in making the 21st century the age of biotechnology. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Molecular Identification and Characterization of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and their Effect on Seed Germination and Vigour Index of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)
(Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 2022) Kumari Divyanshu; Mukesh Yadav; Vaishali Shukla; Sunil Kumar; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a group of useful bacteria that colonize the plant roots and significantly enhances the plant growth promotion. Keeping this in mind, an investigation was performed for the screening of potent PGPR strains for enhancing seed germination and vigour index of Hordeum vulgare (commonly called barley). Rhizobacterial strains were isolated and screened for various plant growth promoting traits, their effect on seed germination and vigour index of barley plant through pot trial, and resistant ability under various temperature and pH range. Based upon 16S rRNA sequencing data, Pseudomonas punonensis LMT03 (R1), Pseudomonas plecoglossicida R4, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM50071 (R2) and Alcaligenes faecalis (DBHU5) isolates were selected and showed positive result for IAA production, Phosphate solubilization, ammonia production, catalase activity, siderophore production and MR-VP test. Barley plants treated with P. punonensis and P. plecoglossicida both showed 94.44% of highest seed germination %, while P. aeruginosa and A. faecalis showed 83.11% and 77.33% respectively in comparison to the control plant shows which 49.99% seed germination only. These respective isolates also showed 2.57, 2.37, 2.0 and 1.69 fold of increase in vigour index as compare to the control plants. The above increase in fold in vigour index and seed germination is much higher as compared to earlier reports. Collectively, the data of current study underpin that addition of these PGPRs to barley rhizosphere appears a promising strategy to enhance root and shoot biomass of this important agriculture crop. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report demonstrating the effect of P. punonensis and P. plecoglossicda on barley crop. © The Author(s) 2022.
Plant growth promotion and differential expression of defense genes in chilli pepper against Colletotrichum truncatum induced by Trichoderma asperellum and T. harzianum
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2023) Mukesh Yadav; Kumari Divyanshu; Manish Kumar Dubey; Ashutosh Rai; Sunil Kumar; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Vaishali Shukla; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Background: Trichoderma asperellum and T. harzianum were assessed in this study as a potential biological control against Colletotrichum truncatum. C. truncatum is a hemibiotrophic fungus that causes anthracnose disease in chilli thereby affecting plant growth and fruit yield. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique showed the beneficial interaction between chilli root-Trichoderma spp. inducing the plant growth promotion, mechanical barrier, and defense network under C. truncatum challenged conditions. Methods: Seeds bio-primed with T. asperellum, T. harzianum, and T. asperellum + T. harzianum promoted the plant growth parameters and strengthening of physical barrier via lignification on the wall of vascular tissues. Seed primed with bioagents were used for exploring the molecular mechanism of defense response in pepper against anthracnose to assess the temporal expression of six defense genes in the Surajmukhi variety of Capsicum annuum. QRT-PCR demonstrated induction of defense responsive genes in chilli pepper bioprimed with Trichoderma spp. such as plant defensin 1.2 (CaPDF1.2), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APx), guaiacol peroxidase (GPx), pathogenesis related proteins PR-2 and PR-5. Results: The results showed that bioprimed seeds were assessed for T. asperellum, T. harzianum, and T. asperellum + T. harzianum-chilli root colonization interaction under in vivo conditions. The results of the scanning electron microscope revealed that T. asperellum, T. harzianum and T. asperellum + T. harzianum interact with chilli roots directly via the development of plant-Trichoderma interaction system. Seeds bio-primed with bioagents promoted the plant growth parameters, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves, stem diameter and strengthening of physical barrier via lignification on the wall of vascular tissues and expression of six defense related genes in pepper against anthracnose. Conclusions: Application of T. asperellum and T. harzianum and in combination of treatments enhanced the plant growth. Further, as seeds bioprimed with T. asperellum, T. harzianum and in combination with treatment of T. asperellum + T. harzianum induced the strengthening of the cell wall by lignification and expression of six defense related genes CaPDF1.2, SOD, APx, GPx, PR-2 and PR-5 in pepper against C. truncatum. Our study contributed for better disease management through biopriming with T. asperellum, T. harzianum and T. asperellum + T. harzianum. The biopriming possess enormous potential to promote plant growth, modulate the physical barrier, and induced the defense related genes in chilli pepper against anthracnose. © 2023, The Author(s).
Regulation of L-proline biosynthesis, signal transduction, transport, accumulation and its vital role in plants during variable environmental conditions
(Elsevier Ltd, 2019) Mukesh Meena; Kumari Divyanshu; Sunil Kumar; Prashant Swapnil; Andleeb Zehra; Vaishali Shukla; Mukesh Yadav; R.S. Upadhyay
L-Proline; Osmoprotectant; Environmental stresses; Cellular mechanisms; Signal transduction, Biochemistry, Molecular biology, Cell Biology, Plant Biology. © 2019 The Authors; Background: In response to various environmental stresses, many plant species synthesize L-proline in the cytosol and accumulates in the chloroplasts. L-Proline accumulation in plants is a well-recognized physiological reaction to osmotic stress prompted by salinity, drought and other abiotic stresses. L-Proline plays several protective functions such as osmoprotectant, stabilizing cellular structures, enzymes, and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and keeps up redox balance in adverse situations. In addition, ample-studied osmoprotective capacity, L-proline has been also ensnared in the regulation of plant improvement, including flowering, pollen, embryo, and leaf enlargement. Scope and conclusions: Albeit, ample is now well-known about L-proline metabolism, but certain characteristics of its biological roles are still indistinct. In the present review, we discuss the L-proline accumulation, metabolism, signaling, transport and regulation in the plants. We also discuss the effects of exogenous L-proline during different environmental conditions. L-Proline biosynthesis and catabolism are controlled by several cellular mechanisms, of which we identify only very fewer mechanisms. So, in the future, there is a requirement to identify such types of cellular mechanisms. © 2019 The Authors