Bacillus velezensis as bioformulation against black rot of cabbage cv. Futoski
Plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), the causal agent of black rot, poses a major global threat to crucifer production. Our aim was to examine how preventive treatments with our biocontrol strain RD FC 88, influence the composition of bacterial communities on cabbage cv. Futoski, in comparison with the effect of copper oxychloride, which is commonly used in practice. We also wanted to determine how long our biocontrol strain persists on the leaf surface after application in order to estimate how many times the inoculum should be applied and at what time intervals for the best efficacy. Preventive treatments were performed by spraying. The effect of the treatment was compared with a positive control, plants sprayed only with autochtonous X. campestris pv. campestris strain XcFc 231, and with a standard treatment, where copper oxychloride was used instead of the biocontrol strain to suppress X. campestris pv. campestris. As an additional control, Nutrient Broth was used because the bacteria were grown in it, in order to exclude any possible effect of the medium. We also included a completely negative control, plants treated only with water, which allowed us to observe the most realistic microbial composition of the autochthonous cabbage cv. Futoski, whose microbiome has not been studied before. Total bacteriobiota was analyzed by using the MGI sequencing platform using the V5 and V7 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA gene as barcode region.