Pseudomonas strains isolated from the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of field-grown potato plants

This study aims at characterizing the impact of the plant microbiome on crop protection against diseases. To this end, the microbiomes of both roots and shoots of field-grown potato plants were isolated, characterized and screened for their protective effects against major potato diseases. A subsample of these bacterial strains, belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, showed volatile-mediated inhibition of the late blight causing agent Phytophthora infestans. These strains were then sequenced and their high quality genomes were assembled de novo with coverage typically exceeding 100 fold. Comparative genomics on these Pseudomonas strains differing in their impact on P. infestans shall provide insight into the molecular determinants underlying the protective effect of the potato microbiome against late blight and open new ways for sustainable crop protection.