A new study published in the Journal of Natural Pesticide Research demonstrates that naturally occurring bacterial isolates hold significant potential for controlling apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), one of the most destructive diseases affecting apple orchards worldwide.
The research, conducted by scientists from the Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès and collaborating Moroccan institutions, evaluated nine bacterial isolates against five strains of V. inaequalis from the Fes-Meknes region. The team found that several bacteria—particularly Alcaligenes faecalis (ACBC1) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (CPa2, SF14)—could suppress fungal growth by 60–92%.
In laboratory and detached-leaf experiments, these bacterial isolates showed stronger preventive effects compared to curative applications. Their activity included not only inhibition of fungal mycelial growth but also suppression of spore germination and germ tube elongation. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioactive metabolites released by these bacteria also exhibited antifungal effects.
Among the tested strains, A. faecalis ACBC1 showed the highest inhibition rates, rivaling the performance of the synthetic fungicide difenoconazole. These bacterial isolates also demonstrated the ability to produce lytic enzymes that break down fungal cell walls—enhancing their biocontrol efficiency.
According to the authors, these findings suggest that bacterial biocontrol agents could form the basis for developing eco-friendly biofungicides. Such alternatives would reduce the heavy reliance on synthetic fungicides that currently dominate apple scab management.
Researchers emphasized that the integration of biological control agents could help farmers adopt sustainable disease management strategies while minimizing environmental and health risks.
Reference
Gouit, S., Radi, M., Chair, I., Belabess, Z., Farhaoui, A., Tahiri, A., Lazraq, A., & Lahlali, R. (2025). Potential of bacterial isolates for the biological control of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). Journal of Natural Pesticide Research, 14, 100165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.napere.2025.100165
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