Phenols enhancement effect of microbial consortium in pea plants restrains Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

• Microbial consortium of T. harzianum, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa was used.
• Their role in modulating phenols in presence of S. sclerotiorum was studied.
• Induction of phenolic compounds and their modulation in leaf and collar region was investigated.
• The phenylpropanoid metabolism was strongly involved in providing resistance.

Microbial interactions occurring in rhizosphere may play important roles in providing protection against phytopathogens. Induction of phenolic compounds and their modulation in leaf and collar region was investigated upon challenge inoculation with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in pea plants untreated and treated with beneficial microbes viz. Bacillus subtilis BHHU100, Trichoderma harzianum TNHU27 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PJHU15 either singly or in the form of consortium. Changes in phenolic compounds in both leaves and collar region indicated that the induced response was systemic in nature altering the physiological status of the host plant. The phenylpropanoid metabolism was strongly involved in providing resistance against S. sclerotiorum challenge; especially in the plants treated with microbes in consortium, where the response was exaggerated in order to cope up with the biotic stress induced by the pathogen. Enhanced accumulation of phenolics viz., shikimic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, salicylic acid, myricitin, quercetin and kaempferol occurred both in leaf and collar tissue.

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