A Little Helper: Beneficial Bacteria with Growth-Promoting Mechanisms Can Reduce Asian Soybean Rust Severity in a Cell-Free Formulation

Growth-promoting bacteria are already used in sustainable agricultural systems Brazil. The market is dominated by inoculants and biological pesticides, which do not reach the full potential of this tool sector. This study aimed to evaluate four bacterial strains for presence growth promotion mechanisms, as well reduction Asian rust severity soybean plants its effects on three antioxidant enzymes during pathogenesis. were treated using cells and/or their biosurfactants before inoculation pathogen (IOP). Severity was measured based a diagrammatic scale at 14, 18 21 days after IOP, activities SOD, CAT, APX evaluated IOP. Treatments containing only efficient reducing severity, with losses leaf area reaching 15%, while addition led result that similar biofungicide, Bacillus subtilis (Serenade®). direct mechanisms can be observed all isolates, role metabolites, especially lipopeptides, control diseases modulation plant’s immune response.