Genomic Insights into Pseudomonas protegens E1BL2 from Giant Jala Maize: A Novel Bioresource for Sustainable Agriculture and Efficient Management of Fungal Phytopathogens

The relationships between plants and bacteria are essential in agroecosystems and bioinoculant development. The leaf endophytic <i>Pseudomonas protegens</i> E1BL2 was previously isolated from giant Jala maize, which is a native <i>Zea mays</i> landrace of Nayarit, Mexico. Using different Mexican maize landraces, this work evaluated the strain's plant growth promotion and biocontrol against eight phytopathogenic fungi in vitro and greenhouse conditions. Also, a plant field trial was conducted on irrigated fields using the hybrid maize Supremo. The grain productivity in this assay increased compared with the control treatment. The genome analysis of <i>P. protegens</i> E1BL2 showed putative genes involved in metabolite synthesis that facilitated its beneficial roles in plant health and environmental adaptation (<i>bdhA</i>, <i>acoR</i>, <i>trpE</i>, <i>speE</i>, <i>potA</i>); siderophores (<i>ptaA</i>, <i>pchC</i>); and extracellular enzymes relevant for PGPB mechanisms (<i>cel3</i>, <i>chi14</i>), protection against oxidative stress (<i>hscA</i>, <i>htpG</i>), nitrogen metabolism (<i>nirD</i>, <i>nit1</i>, <i>hmpA</i>), inductors of plant-induced systemic resistance (ISR) (<i>flaA</i>, <i>flaG</i>, <i>rffA</i>, <i>rfaP</i>), fungal biocontrol (<i>phlD</i>, <i>prtD</i>, <i>prnD</i>, <i>hcnA-1</i>), pest control (<i>vgrG-1</i>, <i>higB-2</i>, <i>aprE</i>, <i>pslA</i>, <i>ppkA</i>), and the establishment of plant-bacteria symbiosis (<i>pgaA</i>, <i>pgaB</i>, <i>pgaC</i>, <i>exbD</i>). Our findings suggest that <i>P. protegens</i> E1BL2 significantly promotes maize growth and offers biocontrol benefits, which highlights its potential as a bioinoculant.