Heat-killed endophytic bacterium induces robust plant defense responses against important pathogens

Stress caused by pathogens strongly damages plants. Developing products to control plant disease is an important challenge in sustainable agriculture. In this study, a heat-killed endophytic bacterium (HKEB), Bacillus aryabhattai, is used to induce plant defense against fungal and bacterial pathogens, and the main defense pathways used by the HKEB to activate plant defense are revealed. The HKEB induced high protection against different pathogens through the salicylic and jasmonic acid pathways. We report the presence of gentisic acid in the HKEB for the first time. These results show that HKEBs may be a useful tool for the management of plant diseases.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the use of heat-killed endophytic bacterium Bacillus aryabhattai to induce plant defense against fungal and bacterial pathogens through salicylic and jasmonic acid pathways. The presence of gentisic acid in the HKEB is reported for the first time. These findings suggest that HKEBs could be a valuable tool for managing plant diseases.