ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Research Article | Open Access
Salma Ibn Souda Koraichi1,2 , Oumaima Cherradi2, Salma Oulad Ziane1 , Soumya El Abed2, Zainab El Alaoui Talibi1, Naima El Ghachtouli2 and Cherkaoui El Modafar1
1Center for Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, CNRST Labeled Research Unit (AgroBiotech Center, URLCNRST 05), Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Marrakech, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco.
2Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fes, Morocco.
Article Number: 9818 | © The Author(s). 2025
J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2025;19(1):333-344. https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.19.1.24
Received: 21 August 2024 | Accepted: 25 December 2024 | Published online: 24 February 2025
Issue online: March 2025
Abstract

Mint cultivation requires heavy use of chemical pesticides to manage pathogens and insect pests. To develop a biological alternative to these pesticides, we investigated the potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to stimulate the natural defense mechanisms of mint, potentially inducing systemic acquired resistance. In the present study, we utilized a bacterial consortium comprising four PGPR strains, Sphingobacterium suaeda, Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus, to promote mint growth and activate natural defense mechanisms. The defense mechanisms of mint were analyzed by measuring phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity at both the root and aerial levels, a key enzyme in phenolic and lignin metabolism, along with the levels of phenolic compounds and lignin. The results showed that the PGPR consortium substantially boosted mint growth, leading to a 28% increase in the number of leaves, a 25% increase in shoot height, a 34% improvement in aerial dry biomass, and an 80% increase in root biomass. Similarly, the PGPR consortium stimulated PAL activity and increased the levels of phenolic compounds and lignin in both the roots and shoots. The stimulation of these remote defense mechanisms at the shoot level evokes a systemic defense reaction known as the expression of systemic acquired resistance in plants. These results present promising opportunities for improving the bioprotection of mint against pathogens.

Keywords

Green Mint, PGPR, Natural Defenses, Bioprotection

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