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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants
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Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Microbe Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 29038

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Innocenzo Muzzalupo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
science and food technology in the Consiglio per la Ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'Economia Agraria (CREA) – centro di ricerca per l’olivicoltura e l’industria olearia (Agricultural Research Council - olive growing and oil industry research centre, CREA-OLI) in Italy
Interests: Olea europaea; olive quality; nanoparticles and biotic stress; microbiome; genetic markers
Prof. Adriana Ada Chiappetta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienza della Terra, Università della Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
Interests: olea europaea; abiotic and biotic stress; plant growth and development; plant ormons; molecular markers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, nanotechnology, microbiology, and biotechnology approaches have been the starting point of revolutionary innovations in the applicative research field, such as the discovery of new active compounds used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries. However, microbes (including endophytes, epiphytes, rhizobacteria, or mycorrhizae), nanoscience and nanoparticles (applied to biology), and omics sciences (as proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, or metagenomics) have not yet expressed their full potential to further enrich the field of possibilities.

There is currently widespread interest in utilizing innovative drugs, essential oils, and plant extracts to manage crops, as alternatives to conventional methods. The use of plant microbiomes as supplements to complement or replace the chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals compounds in a more sustainable way also represents an innovative approach in agriculture.

This Special Issue of Microorganisms will take stock of the latest news concerning nanotechnologies, microbiology, and biotechnology and underline their potential in plant health defense to improve agricultural practices and production.

Manuscripts, review articles, and short communications covering all aspects of research relating to the defense of plant health with new innovative biotechnology methods are welcome.

Dr. Innocenzo Muzzalupo
Prof. Adriana Ada Chiappetta
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant oils and extracts
  • nano-bio-formulates
  • microbiota
  • organic farming
  • eco-sustainable agriculture
  • defense of plant health

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 6392 KiB  
Article
Control of the Verticillium Wilt on Tomato Plants by Means of Olive Leaf Extracts Loaded on Chitosan Nanoparticles
by Elisabetta Mazzotta, Rita Muzzalupo, Adriana Chiappetta and Innocenzo Muzzalupo
Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10010136 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3758
Abstract
In this research, a new ecofriendly and sustainable fungicide agent, with the ability to control Verticillium wilt, was developed. To this purpose, a green extract of olive leaf (OLE) was prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and characterized in terms of polyphenol content and [...] Read more.
In this research, a new ecofriendly and sustainable fungicide agent, with the ability to control Verticillium wilt, was developed. To this purpose, a green extract of olive leaf (OLE) was prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and characterized in terms of polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Then, OLE was loaded in chitosan nanoparticles (CTNPs) to combine the antifungal activity of CTNPs and phenolic compounds to obtain an important synergic effect. Nanoparticles were synthetized using the ionic gelation technique and characterized in terms of sizes, polydispersity index, Z-potential, encapsulation efficiency, and release profile. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of OLE were performed by the HPLC method. OLE-loaded CTNPs exhibited good physicochemical properties, such as a small size and positive surface charge that significantly contributed to a high antifungal efficacy against Verticillum dahliae. Therefore, their antifungal activity was evaluated in vitro, using the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) assay in a concentration range between 0.071 and 1.41 mg/mL. Free OLE, blank CTNPs, and OLE-loaded CTNPs possessed MIC values of 0.35, 0.71, and 0.14 mg/mL, respectively. These results suggest an important synergic effect when OLE was loaded in CTNPs. Thereafter, we tested the two higher concentrations on tomato plants inoculated with V. dahliae, where no fungal growth was observed in the in vitro experiment, 0.71 and 1.41 mg/mL. Interestingly, OLE-loaded CTNPs at the higher concentration used, diminished the symptoms of Verticillium wilt in tomato plants inoculated with V. dahliae and significantly enhanced plant growth. This research offers promising results and opens the possibility to use OLE-loaded CTNPs as safe fungicides in the control strategies of Verticillium wilt at open field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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13 pages, 472 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Volatile Organic Compounds on Different Organisms: Agrobacteria, Plants and Insects
by Daria E. Sidorova, Vladimir A. Plyuta, Darya A. Padiy, Evgeniya V. Kupriyanova, Natalia V. Roshina, Olga A. Koksharova and Inessa A. Khmel
Microorganisms 2022, 10(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10010069 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3352
Abstract
Bacteria and fungi emit a huge variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can provide a valuable arsenal for practical use. However, the biological activities and functions of the VOCs are poorly understood. This work aimed to study the action of individual VOCs [...] Read more.
Bacteria and fungi emit a huge variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can provide a valuable arsenal for practical use. However, the biological activities and functions of the VOCs are poorly understood. This work aimed to study the action of individual VOCs on the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster. VOCs used in the work included ketones, alcohols, and terpenes. The potent inhibitory effect on the growth of A. tumefaciens was shown for 2-octanone and isoamyl alcohol. Terpenes (−)-limonene and (+)-α-pinene practically did not act on bacteria, even at high doses (up to 400 µmol). 2-Butanone and 2-pentanone increased the biomass of A. thaliana at doses of 200–400 μmol by 1.5–2 times; 2-octanone had the same effect at 10 μmol and decreased plant biomass at higher doses. Isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol suppressed plant biomass several times at doses of 50–100 μmol. Plant seed germination was most strongly suppressed by isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol. The substantial killing effect (at low doses) on D. melanogaster was exerted by the terpenes and the ketones 2-octanone and 2-pentanone. The obtained data showed new information about the biological activities of VOCs in relation to organisms belonging to different kingdoms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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17 pages, 4550 KiB  
Article
The Effect of the Anticipated Nuclear Localization Sequence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ SAP11-like Protein on Localization of the Protein and Destabilization of TCP Transcription Factor
by Alisa Strohmayer, Timothy Schwarz, Mario Braun, Gabi Krczal and Kajohn Boonrod
Microorganisms 2021, 9(8), 1756; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081756 - 17 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
SAP11 is an effector protein that has been identified in various phytoplasma species. It localizes in the plant nucleus and can bind and destabilize TEOSINE BRANCHES/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors. Although SAP11 of different phytoplasma species share similar activities, their protein sequences [...] Read more.
SAP11 is an effector protein that has been identified in various phytoplasma species. It localizes in the plant nucleus and can bind and destabilize TEOSINE BRANCHES/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors. Although SAP11 of different phytoplasma species share similar activities, their protein sequences differ greatly. Here, we demonstrate that the SAP11-like protein of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ (‘Ca. P. mali’) strain PM19 localizes into the plant nucleus without requiring the anticipated nuclear localization sequence (NLS). We show that the protein induces crinkled leaves and siliques, and witches’ broom symptoms, in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) plants and binds to six members of class I and all members of class II TCP transcription factors of A. thaliana in yeast two-hybrid assays. We also identified a 17 amino acid stretch previously predicted to be a nuclear localization sequence that is important for the binding of some of the TCPs, which results in a crinkled leaf and silique phenotype in transgenic A. thaliana. Moreover, we provide evidence that the SAP11-like protein has a destabilizing effect on some TCPs in vivo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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15 pages, 2545 KiB  
Article
Killing Effect of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 on a Xanthomonas campestris pv. Campestris (Xcc) Strain Newly Isolated from Cabbage Brassica oleracea Convar. Capitata (L.): A Metabolomic Study
by Hynek Mácha, Helena Marešová, Tereza Juříková, Magdaléna Švecová, Oldřich Benada, Anton Škríba, Miroslav Baránek, Čeněk Novotný and Andrea Palyzová
Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1410; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9071410 - 29 Jun 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5188
Abstract
The potential use of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 for biological control of various phytopathogens has been documented over the past few years, but its antagonistic interactions with xanthomonads has not been studied in detail. Novel aspects in this study consist of close observation of [...] Read more.
The potential use of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 for biological control of various phytopathogens has been documented over the past few years, but its antagonistic interactions with xanthomonads has not been studied in detail. Novel aspects in this study consist of close observation of the death of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris cells in a co-culture with B. velezensis FZB42, and quantification of lipopeptides and a siderophore, bacillibactin, involved in the killing process. A new robust Xcc-SU isolate tolerating high concentrations of ferric ions was used. In a co-culture with the antagonist, the population of Xcc-SU was entirely destroyed within 24–48 h, depending on the number of antagonist cells used for inoculation. No inhibitory effect of Xcc-SU on B. velezensis was observed. Bacillibactin and lipopeptides (surfactin, fengycin, and bacillomycin) were present in the co-culture and the monoculture of B. velezensis. Except for bacillibactin, the maximum contents of lipopeptides were higher in the antagonist monoculture compared with the co-culture. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the death of Xcc-SU bacteria in co-culture was caused by cell lysis, leading to an enhanced occurrence of distorted cells and cell ghosts. Analysis by mass spectrometry showed four significant compounds, bacillibactin, surfactin, fengycin, and bacillomycin D amongst a total of 24 different forms detected in the co-culture supernatant: Different forms of surfactin and fengycin with variations in their side-chain length were also detected. These results demonstrate the ability of B. velezensis FZB42 to act as a potent antagonistic strain against Xcc. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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11 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
Colletotrichum spp. from Soybean Cause Disease on Lupin and Can Induce Plant Growth-Promoting Effects
by Louisa Wirtz, Nelson Sidnei Massola Júnior, Renata Rebellato Linhares de Castro, Brigitte Ruge-Wehling, Ulrich Schaffrath and Marco Loehrer
Microorganisms 2021, 9(6), 1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9061130 - 24 May 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2530
Abstract
Protein crop plants such as soybean and lupin are attracting increasing attention because of their potential use as forage, green manure, or for the production of oil and protein for human consumption. Whereas soybean production only recently gained more importance in Germany and [...] Read more.
Protein crop plants such as soybean and lupin are attracting increasing attention because of their potential use as forage, green manure, or for the production of oil and protein for human consumption. Whereas soybean production only recently gained more importance in Germany and within the whole EU in frame of protein strategies, lupin production is already well-established in Germany. The cultivation of lupins is impeded by the hemibiotrophic ascomycete Colletotrichum lupini, the causal agent of anthracnose disease. Worldwide, soybean is also a host for a variety of Colletotrichum species, but so far, this seems to not be the case in Germany. Cross-virulence between lupin- and soybean-infecting isolates is a potential threat, especially considering the overlap of possible soybean and lupin growing areas in Germany. To address this question, we systematically investigated the interaction of different Colletotrichum species isolated from soybean in Brazil on German soybean and lupin plant cultivars. Conversely, we tested the interaction of a German field isolate of C. lupini with soybean. Under controlled conditions, Colletotrichum species from soybean and lupin were able to cross-infect the other host plant with varying degrees of virulence, thus underpinning the potential risk of increased anthracnose diseases in the future. Interestingly, we observed a pronounced plant growth-promoting effect for some host–pathogen combinations, which might open the route to the use of beneficial biological agents in lupin and soybean production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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10 pages, 2050 KiB  
Article
Plant-Growth-Promoting Bacteria Can Impact Zinc Uptake in Zea mays: An Examination of the Mechanisms of Action Using Functional Mutants of Azospirillum brasilense
by Alexandra Bauer Housh, Mary Benoit, Stacy L. Wilder, Stephanie Scott, Garren Powell, Michael J. Schueller and Richard A. Ferrieri
Microorganisms 2021, 9(5), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051002 - 6 May 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2707
Abstract
Among the PGPB, the genus Azospirillum—with an emphasis on A. brasilense—is likely the most studied microorganism for mitigation of plant stress. Here, we report the investigation of functional mutants HM053, ipdC and FP10 of A. brasilense to understand how the biological [...] Read more.
Among the PGPB, the genus Azospirillum—with an emphasis on A. brasilense—is likely the most studied microorganism for mitigation of plant stress. Here, we report the investigation of functional mutants HM053, ipdC and FP10 of A. brasilense to understand how the biological functions of these microorganisms can affect host Zn uptake. HM053 is a Nif+ constitutively expressed strain that hyper-fixes N2 and produces high levels of the plant’s relevant hormone auxin. FP10 is a Nif- strain deficient in N2-fixation. ipdC is a strain that is deficient in auxin production but fixes N2. Zn uptake was measured in laboratory-based studies of 3-week-old plants using radioactive 65Zn2+ (t½ 244 days). Principal Component Analysis was applied to draw out correlations between microbial functions and host 65Zn2+ accumulation. Additionally, statistical correlations were made to our prior data on plant uptake of radioactive 59Fe3+ and 59Fe2+. These correlations showed that low microbial auxin-producing capacity resulted in the greatest accumulation of 65Zn. Just the opposite effect was noted for 59Fe where high microbial auxin-producing capacity resulted in the greatest accumulation of that tracer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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Review

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36 pages, 1053 KiB  
Review
The Contrivance of Plant Growth Promoting Microbes to Mitigate Climate Change Impact in Agriculture
by Angelika Fiodor, Surender Singh and Kumar Pranaw
Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1841; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091841 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 7671
Abstract
Combating the consequences of climate change is extremely important and critical in the context of feeding the world’s population. Crop simulation models have been extensively studied recently to investigate the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food security. Drought and salinity [...] Read more.
Combating the consequences of climate change is extremely important and critical in the context of feeding the world’s population. Crop simulation models have been extensively studied recently to investigate the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food security. Drought and salinity are major environmental stresses that cause changes in the physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes in plants, resulting in significant crop productivity losses. Excessive use of chemicals has become a severe threat to human health and the environment. The use of beneficial microorganisms is an environmentally friendly method of increasing crop yield under environmental stress conditions. These microbes enhance plant growth through various mechanisms such as production of hormones, ACC deaminase, VOCs and EPS, and modulate hormone synthesis and other metabolites in plants. This review aims to decipher the effect of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on plant health under abiotic soil stresses associated with global climate change (viz., drought and salinity). The application of stress-resistant PGPB may not only help in the combating the effects of abiotic stressors, but also lead to mitigation of climate change. More thorough molecular level studies are needed in the future to assess their cumulative influence on plant development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic, Metabolic and Microbial Activity in Plants)
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