Controlling Green Rot Disease Caused by Penicillium Digitatum in Citrus Using Endophytic and Epiphytic Bacteria
摘要
The study revealed the isolation and identification of Penicillium digitatum from orange fruits infected with green rot. Its colonies appeared gray-green to olive-brown with white mycelium in the early stages. Four bacterial strains belonging to the genera Bacillus, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas were also isolated, and blast analysis showed high agreement with known species. Inhibitory activity tests showed that B. subtilis was the most efficient at inhibiting the growth of P. digitatum, with 87.3% inhibition by dual culture and 84.2% inhibition in culture filtrate. P. agglomerans followed with 84.6% and 82.3% inhibition. P. fluorescens was intermediately efficient, and B. thuringiensis was the least efficient. The bacterial isolates contributed to reducing the severity of the disease, with B. subtilis and P. agglomerans disease severity to 0.21 and 0.32, and reduced weight loss to 2.08% and 2.31% compared to the positive control [2.87%]. The soluble solids and ascorbic acid contents of infected fruits were also increased. The use of B. subtilis and P. agglomerans increased PPO enzyme activity to 2.02 and 2.10[U. g−1.fw] and increased the phenolic content to 18.9 and 2.10 (mg. g−1.fw).