Biocontrol of blackleg using carnivorous bacteria (part 2)

Project Summary

Blackleg, one of the most important diseases of canola, is caused by the fungi Leptosphaeria maculans. Current control strategies include the application of fungicides, planting resistant cultivars, and crop rotations. All these strategies have drawbacks. Biocontrol by antagonistic microorganisms is an attractive crop protection option.

Myxobacteria are a group of soil bacteria which hunt and kill other bacteria and fungi. Myxobacteria have demonstrated the biocontrol of fungal pathogens of tree seedlings, peppers, fruit, and vegetables. The research team have isolated Myxobacteria from Manitoba and will determine whether they can kill or inhibit the growth of Leptosphaeria maculans. The research team will then determine whether these Myxobacteria can protect canola plants against challenge with Leptosphaeria maculans under field-like conditions. Since Myxobacteria are natural inhabitants of agricultural soil it is possible to stimulate their populations in the soil to antagonize Leptosphaeria maculans and other pathogenic fungi.

Canola farmers will be the major beneficiaries when this project is successfully completed. A strain or mixture of strains of Myxobacteria which can suppress L. maculans under field conditions will provide canola farmers with another tool to suppress blackleg. When such a biocontrol tool is scaled up to commercial use and proves effective the severity and economic losses due to blackleg will be curtailed to the benefit of farmers.

Application of a commercial myxobacteria biocontrol product may be the first way to deploy this biocontrol strategy however since Myxobacteria are natural members of the soil microbiome and strains of Myxobacteria isolated in this work are from Manitoban soils stimulation of existing Myxobacteria populations in agricultural soil could be a cheaper and more ecologically friendly tool in a blackleg control strategy, one with better optics than fungicide application. If biocontrol Myxobacteria were to be produced and distributed to farmers, then a commercial endeavour could have to be formed for the production of a Myxobacterial biocontrol product. This should be the basis for a biotechnology process to be established in Manitoba.