Suppression of Fusarium verticillioides in maize by Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus: evidence from biocontrol traits and GC-MS analysis.

Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus isolates significantly suppress Fusarium verticillioides in maize, achieving up to 91.11% seed germination and 119.41 cm plant height.

• Why it matters: Fusarium verticillioides causes seedling blight in maize, and effective biocontrol agents are needed to reduce crop losses without relying on chemical fungicides.
• What they did: Screening of 204 rhizobacterial isolates identified 27% with antagonistic activity, with seven multifunctional isolates tested in greenhouse conditions for seedling blight suppression and plant growth promotion.
• The result: Dual inoculation with Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus enhanced seed germination, plant height, and reduced disease incidence, partly by boosting maize defense responses such as phenolics and enzyme activities.