Summary: | In the present study, the nematicidal and acaricidal activity of three <i>Enterobacter</i> endophytic strains isolated from <i>Mimosa pudica</i> nodules was evaluated. The percentages of mortality of <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD4 against <i>Panagrellus redivivus</i> was 81.2%, and against <i>Nacobbus aberrans</i> 70.1%, <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD8 72.4% and 62.5%, and <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD10 64.8% and 58.7%, respectively. While against the <i>Tyrophagus putrescentiae</i> mite, the mortality percentages were 68.2% due to <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD4, 64.3% due to <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD8 and 77.8% due to <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD10. On the other hand, the ability of the three <i>Enterobacter</i> strains to produce indole acetic acid and phosphate solubilization, characteristics related to plant growth-promoting bacteria, was detected. Bioinformatic analysis of the genomes showed the presence of genes related to IAA production, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. Phylogenetic analyzes of the <i>rec</i>A gene, phylogenomics, and average nucleotide identity (ANI) allowed us to identify the strain <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD8 related to <i>E. mori</i> and <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD10 as <i>E. asburiae</i>, while <i>Enterobacter</i> NOD4 was identified as a possible new species of this species. The plant growth-promoting, acaricidal and nematicidal activity of the three <i>Enterobacter</i> strains makes them a potential agent to include in biocontrol alternatives and as growth-promoting bacteria in crops of agricultural interest.
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