Biopolymers as Seed-Coating Agent to Enhance Microbially Induced Tolerance of Barley to Phytopathogens.

Infections of agricultural crops caused by pathogen ic fungi are among the most widespread and harmful, as they not only reduce the quantity of the harvest but also significantly deteriorate its quality. This study aims to develop unique seed-coating formulations incorporating biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoate and pullulan) and beneficial microorganisms for plant protection against phytopathogens. A microbial association of biocompatible endophytic bacteria has been created, including D5, A2, B5, and D7. These strains exhibited agronomically valuable properties: synthesis of the phytohormone IAA (from 45.2 to 69.2 µg mL), antagonistic activity against and (growth inhibition zones from 1.8 to 3.0 cm), halotolerance (5-15% NaCl), and PHA production (2.77-4.54 g L). A pullulan synthesized by C7 showed a low viscosity rate (from 395 Pa·s to 598 Pa·s) depending on the concentration of polysaccharide solutions. Therefore, at 8.0%, / concentration, viscosity virtually remained unchanged with increasing shear rate, indicating that it exhibits Newtonian flow behavior. The effectiveness of various antifungal seed coating formulations has been demonstrated to enhance the tolerance of barley plants to phytopathogens.