Bacillus cereus Genome sequencing. Bacillus cereus

Panama disease, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense, is endemic in all banana producing areas. The main varieties grown, such as Apple and Prata, are susceptible to the pathogen and as F. oxysporum f.sp. cubense produces resistance structures that survive in the soil, the management of the disease is very difficult. Therefore, the objective of this project is to select promising Bacillus species to control Panama disease and to promote growth in micropropagated banana seedlings. Isolates of Bacillus spp. were selected from asymptomatic banana plants from Embrapa's germplasm bank of Musa spp. , Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, and from commercial plantations in the states of Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte and Roraima. The isolates with the best potential to control the pathogen, obtained through the in vitro and in vivo tests will be identified at species level, using molecular techniques. After selection and identification, different experiments will be performed to identify the action mechanisms of the antagonists involved in the control of Panama disease. The knowledge of the action mechanisms of the Bacillus species is important, because this way the most efficient isolates will be selected to control the pathogen. In addition, the relationship between the use of the most promising Bacillus species and the fertility of the soil:plant ratio in the suppression of banana Panama disease will be verified. At the end of the proposal it is expected to obtain a promising isolate to control the disease, as well as to promote the growth of banana plants in commercial plantations. In future studies, formulations can be developed for application in micropropagated seedlings in the acclimatization phase, within a context of integrated management.