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Summary: Rice blast and bacterial blight represent two of major diseases having devastating impact on the yield of rice in most rice‐growing countries. Developments of resistant cultivars are the most economic and effective strategy to control these diseases. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene editing to rapidly install mutations in three known broad‐spectrum blast‐resistant genes, Bsr‐d1, Pi21 and ERF922, in an indica thermosensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) rice line Longke638S (LK638S). We obtained transgene‐free homozygous single or triple mutants in T1 generations. While all single and triple mutants showed increased resistance to rice blast compared with wild type, the erf922 mutants displayed the strongest blast resistance similar with triple mutants. Surprisingly, we found that Pi21 or ERF922 single mutants conferred enhanced resistance to most of tested bacterial blight. Both resistances in mutants were attribute to the up‐regulation of SA‐ and JA‐pathway associated genes. Moreover, phenotypic analysis of these single mutants in paddy fields revealed that there were no trade‐offs between resistances and main agricultural traits. Together, our study provides a rapid and effective way to generate rice varieties with resistance to both rice blast and bacterial blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial antagonists and their bioactive metabolites provide one of the best alternatives to chemical pesticides to control crop disease for sustainable agriculture and global food security. The rice endophyte Streptomyces hygroscopicus OsiSh-2, with remarkable antagonistic activity towards the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae , was reported in our previous study. The present study deciphered the possible direct interaction mode of OsiSh-2 against M. oryzae. An in vitro antibiotic assay for OsiSh-2 culture filtrate revealed strong suppression of mycelial growth, conidial germination and appressorial formation of M. oryzae. Meanwhile, severe morphological and internal abnormalities in M. oryzae hyphae were observed under a scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Foliar treatment of rice seedlings by OsiSh-2 culture filtrate in the greenhouse and in the field showed 23.5% and 28.3% disease reduction, respectively. Correspondingly, OsiSh-2 culture filtrate could induce disorganized chitin deposition in the cell wall and lowered ergosterol content in the cell membrane of M. oryzae. Additionally, cell wall integrity pathway activation, large cell electrolytes release, reactive oxygen species accumulation and tricarboxylic acid cycle-related enzyme activity changes were found in M. oryzae. All these results suggested that the direct antagonistic activity of OsiSh-2 against M. oryzae may be attributed to damaging the integrity of the cell wall and membrane and disrupting mitochondrial function in the pathogen. Unlabelled Image • Endophytic Streptomyces suppressed the rice blast disease efficiently in the field and in the greenhouse. • Endophytic Streptomyces inhibited M. oryzae growth, conidial germination and appressorial formation. • Endophytic Streptomyces damaged the integrity of M. oryzae cell wall and membrane. • Endophytic Streptomyces induced fungal ROS burst and affected mitochondrial dehydrogenase activities in M. oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Biocontrol is a promising strategy in the control of rice blast disease. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a novel antagonist to the pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae from rice endophytic actinomycetes. RESULTS Out of 482 endophytic actinomycetes isolated from rice blast infected and healthy rice, Streptomyces endus OsiSh-2 exhibited remarkable in vitro antagonistic activity. Scanning electron microscopy observations of M. oryzae treated by OsiSh-2 revealed significant morphological alterations in hyphae. In 2-year field tests, the spraying of OsiSh-2 spore solution (107 spores mL−1) is capable of reducing rice blast disease severity by 59.64%. In addition, a fermentation broth of OsiSh-2 and its cell-free filtrates could inhibit the growth of M. oryzae, suggesting the presence of active enzymes and secondary metabolites. OsiSh-2 tested positive for polyketide synthase-I and nonribosomal peptide synthetase genes and can produce cellulase, protease, gelatinase, siderophore, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. A preliminary separation indicated that the methanol extract of OsiSh-2 could suppress the growth of pathogens. The major active component was identified as nigericin. CONCLUSION Endophytic S. endus OsiSh-2 has potential as a biocontrol agent against rice blast in agriculture. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover image, by Ting Xu et al., is based on the Research Article Isolation and evaluation of endophytic Streptomyces endus OsiSh-2 with potential application for biocontrol of rice blast disease, DOI: . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]