Abstract
Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, poses a significant threat to the sustainable development of the Korla Xiangli (Pyrus×sinkiangensis. Yu) industry. In this study, we used multiple experimental approaches to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of three antagonistic bacterial strains-namely, Mg-7 (Leuconostoc mesenteroides), Rt-10 (Alcaligenes faecalis), and Rt-11 (Bacillus siamensis)-in controlling fire blight. In vitro plate inhibition assays revealed that Mg-7 exhibited the largest inhibition zone diameter, exceeding Rt-10 and Rt-11 in this respect, suggesting its strong antifungal potential. In therapeutic tests conducted on detached leaves, Mg-7 achieved the highest control efficiency, 60.39%, while Rt-10 demonstrated the greatest efficiency (76.96%) in protective tests. Conversely, in therapeutic trials focusing on detached branches, Mg-7 showed a control efficiency of 45.90%, whereas Rt-11 exhibited the highest efficiency, 86.27%, in protective trials. Furthermore, in vitro evaluations indicated that the Mg-7 treatment significantly reduced the lesion spread area. Enzymatic analyses revealed that, in the leaf protection assay, catalase activity (CAT) demonstrated significant increases of 65.56%, 85.46%, and 45.55% under the Mg-7, RT-10, and RT-11 treatments, respectively, when compared with the EA control group on day four. Correspondingly, in the branch protection assay, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity displayed marked elevations of 62.84%, 52.06%, and 82.69% under identical experimental conditions at the same time point. These treatments not only upregulated antioxidant enzyme activities but also significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, effectively mitigating oxidative damage while enhancing foliar and branch resistance to fire blight infection. Field trials conducted in outdoor orchards confirmed that the Mg-7 bacterial suspension provided more effective and stable control against fire blight than Rt-10 and Rt-11. Overall, Mg-7 shows significant potential for use as a biocontrol agent for managing fire blight because of its high efficacy, stability, and ability to enhance plant defense responses.