Scientists from India identified that the Chlorella thermophila (CT)
microalgal strain possesses antimicrobial activity against pathogens that
cause bacterial rice blight. The microalgae can also help with wastewater
treatment.



Rice is a food staple for over 65% of the world's population, so it is
necessary to have a huge supply in different countries. However, its
production is affected by various threats, one of which is bacterial leaf
blight (BLB). This disease can negatively affect the straw's quality and
reduce grain yield by up to 80%.



To address this issue, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology
Guwahati and the Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences conducted a
study to help eliminate Pantoea agglomerans and Xanthomonas oryzae pv.
Oryzae, which are bacterial pathogens that can cause BLB. They cultivated
Chlorella thermophila in nutrient-rich dairy wastewater to produce a biomass
extract that inhibited the growth of the two bacterial pathogens, which will
help in crop protection against bacterial rice blight. The results
demonstrate how the microalgae can serve as an alternative to harmful
pesticides without affecting crop yield.



[bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com]
bs1