Background: The consequence of simultaneous and sequential inoculation of T. asperellum and B. amyloliquefaciens cultures with respect to growth rate, differential expression of vital genes and metabolites were examined.
Results: The competition was observed between T. asperellum and B. amyloliquefaciens under co-cultivation. The proliferation of Trichoderma was reduced in the simultaneous inoculation (TB1) method, possibly due to the fastest growth of Bacillus. Both T. asperellum and B. amyloliquefaciens were proliferated in sequential inoculation method (TB2). The sequential inoculation method (TB2) upregulated the expression of metabolites and vital genes (sporulation, secondary metabolites, mycoparasitism enzymes and antioxidants) in Trichoderma and downregulated in Bacillus and vice versa in co-inoculation method (TB1). The metabolic changes in the co-culture promoted the maize plant growth and defense potential under normal and biotic stress conditions.
Conclusion: The metabolites produced by the co-culture of T. asperellum and B. amyloliquefaciens improved the maize plant growth and defense potential under normal and biotic stress conditions.
Keywords: B. amyloliquefaciens; Biocontrol; Co-cultivation; Metabolomics; Plant growth; Sequential inoculation; Simultaneous inoculation; T. asperellum.