Bacterium may kick in crops’ immune system

BILLINGS – A helpful bacterium that activates a specific plant gene can be used to jump-start a plant’s immune system and could enable farmers to fight crop diseases with less pesticide, researchers at Montana State University say.

Scientist Barry Jocobsen said the discovery has been sub-leased to Certis USA, a global supplier of biological farm products, and a commercial product could be available next year that could save farmers billions of dollars.

Jacobsen said fungus and bacteria attacks on crops cost farmers in pesticide and reduced harvests.

“What happens in a disease situation is the plant can’t respond fast enough,” Jacobsen told the Billings Gazette. But he said researchers found a way to activate a plant’s immune system early by using a specific bacterium.

“Bacillus mycoides isolate J, or Bmj,” Jacobsen said.

Jacobsen said he embarked on the path to the discovery in 1994 while working near the town of Sidney in a sugar beet field devastated by leaf spot. Farmers using chemical pesticides had been unsuccessful in stopping the disease.

But Jacobsen and other researchers noticed a few plants unharmed by the disease. An examination of those healthy plants found 300 types of bacteria.

Jacobsen studied the bacteria and discovered that Bmj activates a plant’s NPR1 gene, triggering the plant’s immune responses that cause it to produce enzymes that attack fungi and bacteria. Plants also grew thicker cell walls, making them harder to attack.

Jacobsen said the NPR1 gene is found in most plants and most food crops, except peanuts, making the Bmj discovery significant for farmers worldwide. He also said organic farms could benefit because Bmj can help plants without pesticides, and that Bmj isn’t genetically modified and so should be accepted for organic use.

Researchers have conducted experiments in the field, applying Bmj to five acres of spring wheat on a farm near Rapelje. Jacobsen said the application helped fight crown and root rot. He also said Bmj has been used to fight white mold on a potato farm.