First Report of Pectobacterium punjabense Causing Blackleg and Soft Rot on Potato in Hebei and Fujian Province, China

Pectobacterium spp. and Dickeya spp. cause blackleg and soft rot on potato worldwide (Charkowski, 2018). Potato plants (cv. Favorita or Jizhang 8#) with blackleg symptoms (vascular browning of crown stems, Fig. S1) were observed in the field in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province in 2018, and in Ningde, Fujian Province in 2019, in China. The disease incidence was around 50% and 10% in Zhangjiakou (5 ha) and Ningde (4 ha), respectively. Diseased plants (3 from each site) were collected to isolate the pathogen. Blackleg symptomatic stems were soaked in 75% ethanol for 2 min, rinsed and ground in sterile distilled water. Serial tenfold dilutions of the above solution were plated onto the crystal violet pectate agar (CVP) plate (Ge et al., 2018). Two to 3 days after incubation at 28°C, 4 bacterial colonies in total which digested pectin from the media and developed pit on CVP plates were purified and sequenced for identification using the universal 16S rRNA gene primer set 27F/1492R (Monciardini et al., 2002). Two colony sequences that showed more than 99% sequence identity to Pectobacterium punjabense type strain SS95 (MH249622) were submitted to the GenBank ( accession numbers: OK510280, MT242589). Additionally, six housekeeping genes proA (OK546205, OK546199), gyrA (OK546206, OK546200), icdA (OK546207, OK546201), mdh (OK546208, OK546202), gapA (OK546209, OK546203), and rpoS (OK546210, OK546204) of these two isolates were amplified and sequenced (Ma et al., 2007, Waleron et al., 2008). All strains show 99% to 100% identity with MH249622T . Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (Fig. S2) and concatenated sequences of the housekeeping genes (Fig. S3) of the 2 isolates were constructed using MEGA 6.0 software (Tamura et al., 2013). Koch’s postulate was performed on potato seedlings and potato tubers (cv. Favorita) by injecting 100 μl bacterial suspension (105 CFU/ml) or sterile phosphate-buffered solution into the crown area of the stems or the tubers and kept at 100% humidity and 21°C for 1 day. Four days after inoculation, the infected area of the inoculated seedlings rotten and turned black, while the controls were symptomless (Fig. S4). Two days after inoculation, the infected tubers rotten and turned black, while the controls were symptomless (Fig. S4). Bacterial colonies were reisolated from these symptomatic tissues and identified using the same methods described above. Blackleg on potato plants or soft rot on potato has been reported to be caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense, Pectobacterium parmentieri, Pectobacterium polaris in China (Zhao et al., 2018; Cao et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2021). To our knowledge, this is the first report of blackleg/soft rot of potato caused by Pectobacterium punjabense in China. We believe that this report will draw attention to the management of this pathogen in China.

Nanopotassium, Nanosilicon, and Biochar Applications Improve Potato Salt Tolerance by Modulating Photosynthesis, Water Status, and Biochemical Constituents

Salinity is one of the main environmental stresses, and it affects potato growth and productivity in arid and semiarid regions by disturbing physiological process, such as the photosynthesis rate, the absorption of essential nutrients and water, plant hormonal functions, and vital metabolic pathways. Few studies are available on the application of combined nanomaterials to mitigate salinity stress on potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Diamont). In order to assess the effects of the sole or combined application of silicon (Si) and potassium (K) nanoparticles and biochar (Bc) on the agro-physiological properties and biochemical constituents of potato plants grown in saline soil, two open-field experiments were executed on a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with five replicates. The results show that the biochar application and nanoelements (n-K and n-Si) significantly improved the plant heights, the fresh and dry plant biomasses, the numbers of stems/plant, the leaf relative water content, the leaf chlorophyll content, the photosynthetic rate (Pn), the leaf stomatal conductance (Gc), and the tuber yields, compared to the untreated potato plants (CT). Moreover, the nanoelements and biochar improved the content of the endogenous elements of the plant tissues (N, P, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, and B), the leaf proline, and the leaf gibberellic acid (GA3), in addition to reducing the leaf abscisic acid content (ABA), the activity of catalase (CAT), and the peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the leaves of salt-stressed potato plants. The combined treatment achieved maximum plant growth parameters, physiological parameters, and nutrient concentrations, and minimum transpiration rates (Tr), leaf abscisic acid content (ABA), and activities of the leaf antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POD, and PPO). Furthermore, the combined treatment also showed the highest tuber yield and tuber quality, including the contents of carbohydrates, proteins, and the endogenous nutrients of the tuber tissues (N, P, and K), and the lowest starch content. Moreover, Pearson’s correlation showed that the plant growth and the tuber yields of potato plants significantly and positively correlated with the photosynthesis rate, the internal CO2 concentration, the relative water content, the proline, the chlorophyll content, and the GA3, and that they were negatively correlated with the leaf Na content, PPO, CAT, ABA, MDA, and Tr. It might be concluded that nanoelement (n-K and n-Si) and biochar applications are a promising method to enhance the plant growth and crop productivity of potato plants grown under salinity conditions.

Practice of Combating Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Disease in Azerbaijan on the Example of Phytophthora

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are the fourth largest crop in the world after rice and corn. In Azerbaijan, the yield of potatoes per unit area is very low compared to other countries of the world. There are many factors that reduce crop productivity, among which diseases such as late blight of potato (Phytophthora infestans) play an important role. Therefore, the fight against this disease is very important. Late blight of potato can be controlled by the following control strategies: use of biological control agents, use of resistant varieties, crossbreeding, use of certified disease-free seeds, use of selective fungicides and agronomic practices such as destruction of cull heaps by freezing or deep burial, destruction sprouting voluntary potato plants in nearby fields during the season, killing infested plants to avoid spreading, shortening periods of leaf wetness and high canopy moisture through proper irrigation times, applying the recommended fungicide spraying program (program must be started before pathogen is detected).

Se-O Bond Is Unique to High Se Enriched Sweet Potato Stem Protein with Better Antioxidant Ability

Sweet potato plants were treated with selenium (Se). Spraying Se on the sweet potato leaves was an effective Se enrichment method and proteins were extracted from the sweet potato stem. The structural characteristics of the protein were investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) detected more signals from the Se-enriched sweet potato stem protein (SSP), and the number of forms of Se chemical bonds gradually increased with increasing Se content, such as the Se-O bond in high Se-enriched SSP, indicating altered secondary structures.Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) indicated more Se atoms in the Se-enriched SSPs (SSSPs). The DSC results revealed that Se enrichment enhanced the thermal stability of the samples. Moreover, selenomethionine (SeMet), selenocystine (SeCys2), and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys) were determined to be the main Se forms in the SSSPs. Furthermore, the SSSPs showed relatively higher superoxide anion radical and DPPH radical scavenging activities than the blank, which indicates that SSSPs can be used as antioxidants. By recovering the proteins, the agricultural by-product—sweet potato stem can be further utilized, and the obtained Se-enriched proteins may contribute to human health.

Microencapsulation of a Pseudomonas Strain (VUPF506) in Alginate–Whey Protein–Carbon Nanotubes and Next-Generation Sequencing Identification of This Strain

Alginate is a common agent used for microencapsulation; however, the formed capsule is easily damaged. Therefore, alginate requires blending with other biopolymers to reduce capsule vulnerability. Whey protein is one polymer that can be incorporated with alginate to improve microcapsule structure. In this study, three different encapsulation methods (extrusion, emulsification, and spray drying) were tested for their ability to stabilize microencapsulated Pseudomonas strain VUPF506. Extrusion and emulsification methods enhanced encapsulation efficiency by up to 80% and gave the best release patterns over two months. A greenhouse experiment using potato plants treated with alginate–whey protein microcapsules showed a decrease in Rhizoctonia disease intensity of up to 70%. This is because whey protein is rich in amino acids and can serve as a resistance induction agent for the plant. In this study, the use of CNT in the ALG–WP system increased the rooting and proliferation and reduced physiological complication. The results of this study showed that the technique used in encapsulation could have a significant effect on the efficiency and persistence of probiotic bacteria. Whole genome sequence analysis of strain VUPF506 identified it as Pseudomonas chlororaphis and revealed some genes that control pathogens.

Analysis of Bacillus thuringiensis treatment impact on microflora and cellulosolytic processes in southern chernozem

When using insecticides based on B. thuringiensis in biocenoses, the issues of their influence directly on plants and soil fertility are particularly relevant. The aim of the research was to study the direction of microbiological processes in the soil after processing potato plants with liquid spore cultures of entomopathogenic B. thuringiensis 792, 800, 810, 815, 857, 888, 902, 989, 994 and 0371 strains. The nature and extent of insecticide exposure were assessed by the quantity of microorganisms in the main ecological and trophic groups. It has been shown that soil treatment with B. thuringiensis strains 792, 854 and 989 influences the intensity of southern chernozem CO2 emission most actively, by 5.7-6.0 times. The studies made it possible to establish that B. thuringiensis strains 810, 854, 888 and 902 are able to exert the most active effect on the decomposition of cellulolose, increasing its activity by 93.7; 85.6; 82.0-93.7% to control. The statistically significant relationships study of correlation dependences made it possible to conclude that the treatment of southern chernozem with strains of B. thuringiensis 792, 800, 810, 854, 888 and 0371 does not have a destructive effect on soil microbocenosis.

Phytophthora infestans RXLR effector Pi04089 perturbs diverse defense-related genes to suppress host immunity

Background The oomycete pathogen secretes many effectors into host cells to manipulate host defenses. For the majority of effectors, the mechanisms related to how they alter the expression of host genes and reprogram defenses are not well understood. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing the influence that the Phytophthora infestans RXLR effector Pi04089 has on host immunity, a comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted on Pi04089 stable transgenic and wild-type potato plants. Results Potato plants stably expressing Pi04089 were more susceptible to P. infestans. RNA-seq analysis revealed that 658 upregulated genes and 722 downregulated genes were characterized in Pi04089 transgenic lines. A large number of genes involved in the biological process, including many defense-related genes and certain genes that respond to salicylic acid, were suppressed. Moreover, the comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that Pi04089 significantly inhibited the expression of many flg22 (a microbe-associated molecular pattern, PAMP)-inducible genes, including various Avr9/Cf-9 rapidly elicited (ACRE) genes. Four selected differentially expressed genes (StWAT1, StCEVI57, StKTI1, and StP450) were confirmed to be involved in host resistance against P. infestans when they were transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Conclusion The P. infestans effector Pi04089 was shown to suppress the expression of many resistance-related genes in potato plants. Moreover, Pi04089 was found to significantly suppress flg22-triggered defense signaling in potato plants. This research provides new insights into how an oomycete effector perturbs host immune responses at the transcriptome level.