Bacillus strains modulate immune response, biomass production and flowering time in Arabidopsis and Brachypodium distachyon.

Abstract

acillus strains have been used on crop protection on many different crops for long time, due to their PGP activity as well as biological controls of plant diseases. Both characteristics are desirable as a strategy to protect environment since there is a potential contribution in the reduction of pesticide use. We hold three Bacillus strains capable to control Fusarium graminearum growth in vitro. Assays in vivo revealed that, these bacteria interact with Arabidopsis plants to promote a better response to pathogens attack, increase biomass production and modify the flowering time. Plants treated with these Bacillus strains showed significant difference in the level of growth characteristics in comparison to the control. Moreover, we found that these same bacteria, as PGPs, can modulate the flowering time, head number and biomass growth of the small grass Brachypodium distachyon. Lyons et al. (2015) highlighted how the infection by Fusarium oxysporum accelerate the flowering time on Arabidopsis plants. In our system, the pathogen Fusarium graminearum induced some responses on plants but the interaction with the Bacillus strains changed that response. We will present the latest results in which we investigated the expression of defence genes within this system.