A Bio-Based Solution: Repurposing Rice Straw to Control Bacterial Leaf Blight with Pseudomonas fluorescens

Bacterial leaf blight (BLB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), remains one of the most destructive diseases affecting rice cultivation, particularly under flooded field conditions. As there are demand for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to agrochemicals, beneficial microbes such as Pseudomonas fluorescens have the ability to suppress plant pathogens through the production of secondary metabolites, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG) which act as a biocontrol to inhibit the growth of Xoo. In this study, P.fluorescens was immobilized on rice straw, an abundant agricultural byproduct, to create a stable and biodegradable delivery system suitable for field application. Rice straw serves not only as a low-cost carrier but also provides a microenvironment that helps maintain viability of P.fluorescens and promotes gradual colonization of the rhizosphere. The immobilization attributed to enhanced production and sustained release of 2,4-DAPG. This approach offers a promising strategy for integrated disease management in paddy plantation, turning crop waste into a bioactive input while reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.