Functional Analysis and Genome Mining Reveal High Potential of Biocontrol and Plant Growth Promotion in Nodule-Inhabiting Bacteria Within Paenibacillus polymyxa Complex

Bacteria belonging to the genus Paenibacillus were frequently isolated from legume nodules. The nodule-inhabiting Paenibacillus as a resource of biocontrol and plant growth-promoting endophytes has rarely been explored. This study explored the nodule-inhabiting Paenibacillus ’ antifungal activities and biocontrol potentials against broad-spectrum important phytopathogenic fungi. We collected strains which were isolated from nodules of Robinia pseudoacacia , Dendrolobium triangulare , Ormosia semicastrata , Cicer arietinum , Acacia crassicarpa , or Acacia implexa and belong to P. peoriae , P. kribbensis , P. endophyticus , P. enshidis , P. puldeungensis , P. taichungensis , or closely related to P. kribbensis , or P. anseongense . These nodule-inhabiting Paenibacillus showed diverse antagonistic activities against five phytopathogenic fungi ( Fusarium graminearum , Magnaporthe…