Seed priming with biosurfactant and biosurfactant producing bacteria induces resistance against Ralstonia solanacearum in tomato plants

In this study, the effect of seed treatment with Achromobacter xylosoxidans AUM54 and glycolipid-type biosurfactants produced by this bacterial strain to suppress Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes bacterial wilt in tomato plants, was investigated. Applying biosurfactant in combination with the biosurfactant-producing bacteria reduced the R. solanacearum population on the tomato seed surface by 44% and reduced the seed infection percentage by 87%. In addition, these treatments induced resistance in tomato plants against this pathogen, evidenced by the increased activities of defence-related enzymes, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase, and reduced the percentage of disease severity (DS).