Drechslerella dactyloides and Dactylaria brochopaga mediated structural defense in tomato plants pre-challenged with Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract

The present study was undertaken with the objectives to study Drechslerella dactyloides NDAd-05 and Dactylaria brochopaga NDDb-15 mediated induction of structural defense responses leading to lower disease development and promoting growth in tomato pre-challenged with Meloidogyne incognita. The potential strains D. dactyloides NDAd-05 and D. brochopaga NDDb-15 were taken from Plant-Microbe Interaction and Rhizosphere Biology Lab, ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Maunath Bhanjan, India. In vitro root colonization assay was performed using D. dactyloides NDAd-05 and D. brochopaga NDDb-15 in sand:soil culture (2:1) and significant tomato root colonization by NDAd-05 and NDDb-15 was recorded. The study elucidated multifarious effects of D. dactyloides NDAd-05 and D. brochopaga NDDb-15 when inoculated either individually or in combination in tomato plants pre-challenged with M. incognita. Additionally, D. dactyloides NDAd-05 and D. brochopaga NDDb-15 increased antioxidant as well as biocontrol activities significantly in tomato against M. incognita. Microscopic visualization of H2O2 and superoxide radicals in tomato leaves further corroborated the above findings. Further, inoculation of D. dactyloides NDAd-05 and D. brochopaga NDDb-15 activated the phenylpropanoid pathway in roots leading to increase cell wall lignifications and pectin deposition in tomato roots in addition to direct trapping and parasitizing of juveniles and adults of M. incognita. From the results it can be concluded that increased cell wall lignifications and pectin deposition probably restricted the entry of nematodes and ultimately decreased the M. incognita population in tomato roots. It was also observed that plants treated with bioagents individually or in combination modulated the phenotypical alterations and assisted plant growth promotion. This might be due to the interaction-dependent modulation of physio-biochemical pathways in the tomato plants which ultimately reduced the inoculum potential and disease intensity of M. incognita.