Quantitative analysis and assessment of anti-oomycetes action against Phytophthora infestans through biomolecules from Bacillus firmus HussainT:Lab.66 through mass spectrometry

Bacterial biomolecules will be key ingredients of future sustainable crop production. Metabolites from an improved strain of Bacillus sp., collected from waste soil, were analyzed for bioactivity to produce biofilm and mobility and as antifungal factors. The analysis determined the presence of the biosurfactant surfactin in high amounts. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry indicated the presence of high amounts of methyl ester fatty acids in the extract. The lipopeptide extract of the Bacillus firmus HussainT:Lab.66 strain exhibited results with haemolytic activity (2.0 cm), BATH assay (94%), oil spread assay (2.1 cm) and EI 24% (95%). These activities are due to hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues that are partitioned at the liquid/liquid, liquid/gas, or liquid/solid interfaces, demonstrating their potential to produce surfactants. Under in vitro studies, the supernatant exhibited good antifungal activity against Phytophthora infestans, in which mycelial growth was inhibited by > 50% at 3% concentration. The new potent strain isolated in this study could be a new biological control agent and a way to combat plant diseases in a bio-rationale manner and minimize the need for synthetic chemicals.