The effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria on Cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions

One of the damaging agents for wheat is the cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae). Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPR) are a group of bacteria that have beneficial properties for plant growth, including iron chelation, siderophore production, phosphate dissolution, nitrogen fixation, as well as the production of protease and chitinase enzymes. These bacteria can also be used as biological control agents. In this study, wheat roots showing suspicious symptoms of cereal cyst nematode were collected from the Dezful county in Khuzestan province during 2022-2023.  After initial investigations, nematode identification and purification was done. According to the morphometric and morphological characteristics of the larvae and cysts, especially its cone top, H. avenae was diagnosed. the effect of seven native growth-stimulating bacterial strains on egg hatching rate and mortality of cereal cyst nematode larvae in the Petri dish was investigated in the laboratory. The effect of four selected bacterial strains with sulfur treatment and Nematex EC nematicide was investigated in the greenhouse against grain cyst nematode. The results showed that in laboratory conditions, the bacterial strains were able to reduce the egg hatching rate by 62% on average. Bacillus pumilus bacteria caused the greatest decrease in egg hatching by 73%. The percentage of mortality of larvae in the laboratory test was also shown to be 63% on average, and the treatment of B. pumilus bacteria showed the highest percentage of mortality with 70%. The results of the greenhouse investigations showed that the treatments involving sulfur-healthy plants, sulfur-nematode, and the B. pumilus and P. fluorescens bacteria were most effective in promoting healthy plant growth and controlling nematode infestation. These treatments resulted in significant improvements in plant height, as well as fresh and dry plant and root weights. Additionally, the greatest reduction in the number of cysts was observed in the B. pumilus treatment, with an average of 49 ± 1 cysts. When examining the number of eggs within the cysts, the most substantial decrease was observed in the Nematex EC and B. pumilus bacteria treatments, with 67 ± 1 and 111 ± 2 eggs, respectively. Furthermore, in the assessment of the number of live larvae in the pot, the greatest decrease in the number of larvae was observed in the Nematex treatment, with 87 ± 1..