Blue-green partnership: unravelling potential of marine Pseudomonas aeruginosa OG as a biocontrol agent against Fusarium oxysporum vasinfectum

Cotton, a crop of significant economic importance in India, is confronted with a multitude of soil-borne illnesses. Fusarium wilt, caused by the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV). This disease may have a significant negative impact on production levels. Various management techniques including the physical and chemical methods are developed but has limitations like effect on non-target organism, development of resistance by organism, accumulation in the soil and negative impact on Environment etc. Looking to above constrains, more effective ecofriendly techniques for disease management should be developed which may include use of microbes. The objective of this research was to determine the efficacy of marine Pseudomonas aeruginosa OG101 as a biocontrol agent. The organism showed presence of genes of lytic enzymes like glucanase and chitinase as well as several antibiotic genes whose synthesis may be effective in reducing FOV infection in plants. OG101 was found as an effective biocontrol agent both in in vitro and in vivo. Even in in vivo conditions, it was able to improve height and weight of cotton plant by 52.11% and 63.30% respectively. Based on the results of the study, it was shown that OG101 exhibited bio-control capabilities by exerting inhibitory effects on FOV, hence providing protection against disease in cotton. This study clearly demonstrates usefulness of marine microbe in controlling the Fusarium infection in cotton plant.