Open Access
A novel Enterococcus-based nanofertilizer promotes seedling growth and vigor in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
(MDPI, 2024-10-14) Batool, Salma; Safdar, Maryam; Naseem, Saira; Sami, Abdul; Saleem, Rahman Shah Zaib; Larrainzar Rodríguez, Estíbaliz; Shahid, Izzah; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers poses significant environmental and health concerns. Microbial-based biofertilizers are increasingly being promoted as safe alternatives. However, they have limitations such as gaining farmers¿ trust, the need for technical expertise, and the variable performance of microbes in the field. The development of nanobiofertilizers as agro-stimulants and agro-protective agents for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture could overcome these limitations. In the present study, auxin-producing Enterococcus sp. SR9, based on its plant growth-promoting traits, was selected for the microbe-assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). These microbial-nanoparticles SR9AgNPs were characterized using UV/Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, and a size analyzer. To test the efficacy of SR9AgNPs compared to treatment with the SR9 isolate alone, the germination rates of cucumber (Cucumis sativus), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds were analyzed. The data revealed that seeds simultaneously treated with SR9AgNPs and SR9 showed better germination rates than untreated control plants. In the case of vigor, wheat showed the most positive response to the nanoparticle treatment, with a higher vigor index than the other crops analyzed. The toxicity assessment of SR9AgNPs demonstrated no apparent toxicity at a concentration of 100 ppm, resulting in the highest germination and biomass gain in wheat seedlings. This work represents the first step in the characterization of microbial-assisted SR9AgNPs and encourages future studies to extend these conclusions to other relevant crops under field conditions.
Open Access
Biocontrol potential of Bacillus sp. against indigenous fungal phytopathogens of potato and sugarcane
(Taylor & Francis, 2025-02-02) Abid, Amina; Ahmed, Hafsa; Saeed, Zain; Dar, Abdur-Rehman; Zameer, Mahnoor; Mehnaz, Samina; Shahid, Izzah; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Fungal diseases pose significant threats to crops, necessitating effective control measures to mitigate their impact on agricultural productivity. In this study, fungal pathogens affecting sugarcane and potato crops in Pakistan were investigated. Morphological and molecular characterization revealed the presence of Fusarium sacchari and Ceratocystis sp. in sugarcane samples, and Epicoccum nigrum and Alternaria alternata in potato samples. Effective biocontrol of these pathogens was shown by two corn rhizobacteria, i.e. Bacillus subtilis (MUN-1) and Bacillus velezensis (MUN-15). Both strains exhibited significant inhibition of fungal growth in vitro with Bacillus subtilis demonstrating higher efficacy. Gene-specific PCR analysis confirmed the presence of surfactin and iturin genes responsible for antifungal metabolite production in these bacteria in addition to VOCs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Epicoccum nigrum infecting potato plants in Pakistan. Implementing such eco-friendly strategies can contribute to the reduction of chemical inputs in agriculture ensuring crop health and productivity.
Open Access
Assessment of anticancer and antimicrobial potential of bioactive metabolites and optimization of culture conditions of pseudomonas aurantiaca PB-St2 for high yields
(The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2025-02-14) Zameer, Mahnoor; Shahid, Izzah; Saleem, Rahman Shah Zaib; Baig, Deeba Noreen; Zareen, Maryam; Malik, Kauser Abdulla; Mehnaz, Samina; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
The following study aimed to characterize the biological potential of the purified compounds of Pseudomonas aurantiaca PB-St2. Optimization of temperature and incubation time of 32oC and 72 h yielded the highest crude extract weight and optical density of bacterial culture. HPLC analysis of the crude metabolite extract (purified using gravitational column chromatography) showed three fractions named as PC1, PC2, and PC3. HPLC-purified fractions were subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis and the data was compared using reference library. Fraction PC1 was identified as mupirocin, PC2 as phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), and PC3 as the mixture of three compounds including pyoluteorin, PCA and 2-hydroxyphenazine (2-OH-phz). Fungicidal potential of the purified compounds was assessed against phytopathogens including Fusarium equiseti, Fusarium incarnatum, Alternaria alternata, and Colletotrichum falcatum. Fraction PC3 showed the highest fungicidal activity of ~89%, whereas, the least antifungal activity (~27%) was noted for mupirocin. Antibacterial activity of the purified compounds against Gram-positive pathogen Bacillus cereus, and Gram-negative pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, and Klebsiella oxytoca was also assessed. Fraction PC3 demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against B. cereus and P. aeruginosa showing 1.8 cm, and 0.9 cm zones of inhibition, respectively. Against K. oxytoca and S. enterica, the antibacterial activity of PB-St2 crude extract was slightly higher than the fraction PC3. The fraction PC3 also demonstrated the highest IC50 against HepG-2 and SF767 cancer cell lines at 25 μg and 20 μg concentrations, respectively. The multifaceted attributes of P. aurantiaca PB-St2 make it an ideal candidate for agricultural and pharmacological applications.

Shahid, Izzah

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