Exogenous application of antagonistic Streptomyces sp. SND-2 triggers defense response in Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (mung bean) against anthracnose infection.

Anthracnose is a devastating disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (CL) in Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (mung bean). In the present study, an eco-friendly approach to control anthracnose infection, growth promotion and enhancement of defense response in mung bean plants using endophytic actinomycetes was performed. Among the 24 actinomycetes isolates from the Cleome rutidosperma plant, the isolate SND-2 exhibited a broad spectrum of antagonistic activity with 63.27% of inhibition against CL in the dual culture method. Further, the isolate SND-2 was identified as Streptomyces sp. strain SND-2 (SND-2) through the 16S rRNA gene sequence. In-vitro screening of plant growth trials confirmed that SND-2 has the potential to produce indole acetic acid, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, phosphate solubilization, and siderophore. The in-vivo biocontrol study was performed with exogenous application of wettable talcum-based formulation of SND-2 strain to mitigate CL infection in mung bean seedlings. The results displayed maximum seed germination, vigor index, increased growth parameters, and lowest disease severity (43.63 ± 0.73) in formulation treated and pathogen challenged mung bean plants. Further, the application of SND-2 formulation with pathogen witnessed increased cellular defense through the maximum accumulation of lignin, hydrogen peroxide and phenol deposition in mung bean leaves compared with control treatments. Biochemical defense response exhibited upregulation of antioxidant enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, β-1,-3-Glucanase, and peroxidase enzymes activities with increased phenolic (3.64 ± 0.11 mg/g fresh weight) and flavonoid (1.14 ± 0.05 mg/g fresh weight) contents in comparison with other treatments at 0, 4, 12, 24, 36, and 72 h post pathogen inoculation. This study demonstrated that formulation of Streptomyces sp. strain SND-2 is a potential source as a suppressive agent and plant growth promoter in mung bean plants upon C. lindemuthianum infestation and witnesses the elevation in cellular and biochemical defense against anthracnose disease.