Evaluation of cytotoxic effects of biocontrol agents using plant assay systems and in-silico analysis in Cicer arietinum.

Abstract

Biological control refers to purposeful utilization of introduced or resident living organisms other than disease resistant host. This study sheds light on the three aspects firstly, phytotoxic profile of four biocontrol agents (Trichoderma viride; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Beauveria bassiana; Metarhizium anisopliae) and two synthetic agrochemicals (Mancozeb and Malathion) on three crops (chickpea, faba bean and tomato). Trichoderma viride was very effective in increasing maximum seedling traits in chickpea and tomato but acted total inhibitor for faba bean. Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens; Beauveria bassiana; Metarhizium anisopliae, was average in chickpea and tomato but again total inhibitor for faba bean. Impact of Malathion was also average in chickpea and tomato but totally inhibited faba bean. In case of Mancozeb, it was effective for faba bean and tomato but total inhibitor for chickpea. Secondly cytological assay was performed using root tips of Allium cepa. No significant change was observed in MI value of all the treatments, Results of present study revealed that all the four biocontrol agents and two synthetic agrochemicals was not cytotoxic at recommended dose for exposure at 24hrs and 48hrs. For genotoxicity analysis, chromosomal abnormalities were recorded in all the six treatments, physiological abnormalities were much higher than clastogenic abnormalities for both the exposure time. Lastly in- silico analysis of PR-1 proteins in Cicer arietinum, resulted in the identification of 11 novel PR-1 genes/proteins, each of which produce a protein belonging to the CAP superfamily (PF00188). The production and accumulation of pathogenesis related (PR) proteins in plants is one of the important responses to biotic and abiotic stress. These candidate proteins were comprehensively analysed with, multiple sequence alignment, domain architecture studies, signal peptide and motif extraction followed by phylogenetic analysis. These genes can be explored for their utilization in the future molecular biology applications in crop improvement programmes.