Xylem endophytes of Salicaceae: potential role in mitigating disease symptoms from Xylella fastidiosa or Brenneria salicis.
Pesenti L, Lengrand S, Kahn A, Michot L, Marchandise F
Biocontrol
Willow and poplar trees lining your local stream or planted as windbreaks face a growing threat from stealth pathogens that invade their inner plumbing — and their own internal bacteria may be the key to keeping them alive.
Inside willow and poplar trees, researchers found naturally occurring bacteria living in the tubes that carry water through the tree. These bacteria turned out to be surprisingly good at fighting off dangerous infections that can kill trees from the inside out, including one pathogen that devastates grapevines and shade trees worldwide. When these friendly bacteria were introduced alongside the harmful ones in experiments, the trees got much less sick.
Key Findings
Bacteria from three genera (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Erwinia) isolated from willow and poplar xylem showed strong antagonism against multiple vascular pathogens, including the globally destructive Xylella fastidiosa.
Co-inoculation experiments in tobacco plants and young willows demonstrated that these endophytes significantly reduced pathogen load and visibly reduced disease symptoms.
Whole-genome sequencing revealed the bacteria carry genes for nutrient acquisition, biofilm formation, and antimicrobial compound production — a functional toolkit for protecting their tree hosts.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists discovered that bacteria naturally living inside the water-conducting tissues of willow and poplar trees can fight off dangerous tree-killing pathogens, reducing disease symptoms in lab tests. This opens the door to probiotic-style treatments for trees threatened by vascular diseases.
Abstract Preview
Increasing pressure from xylem-limited pathogens has driven the search for beneficial xylem-inhabiting endophytes that can enhance growth, stress tolerance, and disease resistance in woody plants. ...
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Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus Salix, comprise around 350 species of typically deciduous trees and shrubs. They are primarily found on moist soils in cold and temperate regions.