Isolation and Identification of Lipopeptide-Producing Bacillus velezensis Strains from Wheat Phyllosphere with Antifungal Activity against the Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

Septoria tritici blotch, caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, is a highly significant disease on wheat crops worldwide. The objective of present study was to find out new bacterial strains with bio-antimicrobial activity against Z. tritici. Two phyllospheric bacteria (S1 and S6) were isolated from ears identified as Bacillus velezensis according 16S rRNA Sanger sequencing. Antagonistic assays performed either living or cell-free culture filtrates showed in vitro antifungal activities For filtrates, half-maximal inhibitory dilution minimal 1.4% 3.7% for strain S1, 7.4% 15% S6, respectively. MALDI—ToF analysis revealed that both synthesize cyclic lipopeptides but different families. Interestingly, only S1 produces putative bacillomycin D. Such differential lipopeptide production patterns might explain difference observed between two strains. This allows identification lipopeptide-producing B. high potential application biocontrol