MAIZE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO THE FOLIAR PATHOGEN Exserohilum turcicum AND THE NATIVE BIOCONTROLLER Bacillus velezensis EM-A8 IN GREENHOUSE TRIALS

MARÍA FIAMMA GROSSI VANACORE; SARTORI, M; FRANCISCO GIORDANINO; GARCÍA, D

Jornada; XLI reunión anual de la sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2023

Maize is one of the most important cereals in the world. Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) caused by the pathogen Exserohilum turcicum is among the diseases that threaten its yield. In the Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana, UN de Río Cuarto, Bacillus velezensis EM-A8 was selected from the maize phyllosphere for its antagonistic activity in vitro and in vivo against E. turcicum. In order to find biological alternatives for NCLB management, two greenhouse trials were carried out between 2021 and 2022. Two formulations of the biocontroller were applied in pot grown maize plants, both healthy and infected with E. turcicum. Treatments consisted of Control (C), biocontroller in formulation 1 (T1), biocontroller in formulation 2 (T2), formulation 1 + E. turcicum (T3), Formulation 2 + E. turcicum (T4) and E. turcicum (T5). Leaf hydrogen peroxide concentration (H2O2), salicylic acid concentration (SA), phenolic compounds concentration (PC) and electrolyte leakage (EL) were measured to assess maize physiological response towards the pathogen and the biocontroller. Data obtained was analyzed using analysis of variance test and principal component analysis. Parameters SA, H2O2 and PC were significantly lower in C and T1 compared to the rest of treatments (p