Small molecules cause virulence attenuation of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the pathogen causing bacterial blight of rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the causal agent of bacterial blight in rice, has developed resistant strains due to rampant usage of chemical pesticides and disease resistant rice cultivars. Virulence attenuating agents could be an alternative strategy to combat this pathogen; therefore, the main objective of the present study was to screen phenolic compounds of plant origin as well as a thiadiazole derivative, acibenzolar S methyl for their effect on various virulence determinants of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae such as the type three secretion system, motility, extracellular polysaccharide production and secretion of exoenzymes through the type two secretion system. From the compounds screened, cinnamic acid and its derivatives like ferulic acid, caffiec acid and p-coumaric acid showed significant reduction in promoter activity of xopQ, an effector secreted through type three secretion system. None of the compounds used in this study showed substantial inhibitory effect on other virulence determinants indicating that their effect was specific on the type three secretion system except acibenzolar S methyl which, along with inhibitory effects on promoter activity of xopQ, also showed reduction in motility of bacteria. Wheat-bran-derived natural medium was effective for induction of type three and type two secretion systems at detectable levels. We also performed virulence assay that showed significant reduction in disease symptoms confirming cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid as effective virulence attenuating agents of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae BXO43. These studies demonstrate the potential of selected small molecules for development of new alternative strategies to control the bacterial blight of rice.