Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40445985›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Biocontrol of Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beet by a novel Bacillus velezensis KT27 strain: Enhanced antifungal activity and growth promotion in laboratory and field conditions.

Agnieszka Wita, Wojciech Białas, Katarzyna Czaczyk, Agnieszka Drożdżyńska, Łukasz Sobiech, Monika Grzanka, Jakub Danielewicz, Ewa Jajor, Joanna Horoszkiewicz, Roman Marecik

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Agnieszka WitaDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Wojciech BiałasDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Katarzyna CzaczykDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Agnieszka DrożdżyńskaDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Łukasz SobiechDepartment of Agronomy, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Monika GrzankaDepartment of Agronomy, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Jakub DanielewiczDepartment of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection, National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland.
Ewa JajorDepartment of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection, National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland.
Joanna HoroszkiewiczDepartment of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection, National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland.
Roman MarecikDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.ORCID 0000-0001-5387-990X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Diseases in crops are a major contributor to yield reduction and economic losses. Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), caused by Cercospora beticola, is among the most severe diseases affecting sugar beet and other crops. The increasing resistance of C. beticola to conventional chemical fungicides, along with their excessive application, exacerbates environmental pollution. This study investigates the antagonistic activity of a newly isolated strain, Bacillus velezensis KT27, against Cercospora beticola, Rhizoctonia cerealis, and Fusarium oxysporum under laboratory conditions. The bacterium's ability to produce lipopeptides (surfactin, iturin, and fengycin) and solubilize phosphorus, potassium, and zinc was also assessed. In vitro assays revealed that B. velezensis KT27 effectively inhibited C. beticola growth (60.2%), though it exhibited lower antagonistic activity against R. cerealis (22.5%) and F. oxysporum (15.5%). The elimination of bacterial biomass by centrifugation and the use of sterile supernatant reduced antifungal activity by more than 3.5-fold for all tested fungi, highlighting the importance of direct bacterial interactions. Notably, the antagonistic effect of B. velezensis KT27 against C. beticola significantly increased when bacterial cultures were supplemented with thermally inactivated fungal biomass of C. beticola especially R. cerealis. Field experiments demonstrated the high efficacy of B. velezensis KT27 biological control agent, particularly when induced by R. cerealis. The level of CLS protection achieved with the bacterial treatment was only 9.1% lower than that obtained using a combination of three chemical fungicides. Additionally, the biocontrol agent positively influenced sugar beet growth, leading to a root yield increase of up to 15.2% compared to the untreated control. These findings highlight the potential of B. velezensis KT27 as an effective and environmentally sustainable biocontrol agent against CLS in sugar beet cultivation.

Indexed as

AscomycotaBacillusBeta vulgarisPest Control, BiologicalPlant DiseasesAntibiosisAntifungal AgentsBiological Control AgentsFusariumPlant LeavesRhizoctoniaAntifungal AgentsBiological Control Agents

Identifiers

PMID40445985
PMCPMC12124551

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.