PurposeThe study focused on developing a rapid PCR-based detection method and employing gamma irradiation techniques to manage Ralstonia solanacearum, aiming to produce brown rot-free export-quality potatoes. This initiative seeks to enhance potato exports from Bangladesh.Materials and MethodsSamples of potato tubers and soil were collected from various commercially significant potato-growing areas, resulting in a total of 168 Ralstonia solanacearum isolates from potato tubers and soil across 12 regions. The detection of R. solanacearum in the enriched tuber extract and soil were conducted using the primer pairs (PS-1, PS-2) and (759, 760). For the gamma irradiation experiment, petri dishes containing R. solanacearum cultures were subjected to different doses of gamma rays at the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture using a 60Co source. The irradiation doses applied to the samples were 0-6.0KGy.ResultsMorphological identification based on pink/light red colonies on TTC medium was confirmed R. solanacearum in 148 isolates. PCR using species-specific primers (PS-1/PS-2) and (759, 760) verified 26 isolates (14 tubers, 12 soil), producing 553 bp and 281 bp fragments in latently infected tubers and soil samples respectively. Gamma irradiation at 2.5 kGy damaged R. solanacearum's DNA and cells, preventing brown rot, while higher doses eliminated it entirely. This offers a promising strategy to enhance safety of stored potatoes, potentially mitigating economic losses from this quarantine pathogen.ConclusionThe study developed a PCR detection method and gamma irradiation techniques to manage R. solanacearum, enhancing the export quality of potatoes.

Monilinia spp., which causes brown rot, is one of the most damaging pathogens in stone fruits. Researchers are exploring epiphytic and endophytic microorganisms with the potential to suppress pathogens, control pathogenic microorganisms, and/or promote plant growth. In this study, microorganisms with antagonistic activity against three Monilinia species were isolated from plum orchard soil and plum fruits. Antagonism tests in vitro showed strong antagonistic properties of six strains of bacteria and two yeast-like fungi against M. fructigena, M. fructicola, and M. laxa, with growth inhibition from 45.5 to 84.6%. The antagonists were identified and characterized at the genetic level using whole genome sequencing (WGS). Genes involved in antibiotic resistance, virulence, secondary metabolite synthesis, and plant growth promotion were identified and characterized through genome mapping, gene prediction, and annotation. None of the microorganisms studied were predicted to be pathogenic to humans. The results of this study indicate that the bacteria Bacillus pumilus, B. velezensis, two strains of Lysinibacillus agricola, Pseudomonas chlororaphis isolated from stone fruit orchard soil, and the yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium pullulans, isolated from plums, are promising candidates for the biological control of Monilinia spp.