Antifungal and defense elicitor activity of Potassium phosphite against fungal blast disease on ptxD-OE transgenic indica rice and its acceptor parent

In rice farming, the blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae (T.T. Hebert) M.E. Barr. is one of the primary production constraints worldwide. The current blast management options such as blast-resistant varieties and spraying fungicides are neither durable nor commercially and environmentally compatible. In the present study, we investigated the antifungal and defense elicitor activity of potassium phosphite (Phi) against M. oryzae on elite rice cultivar BPT5204 (popularly known as Samba Mahsuri in India) and its transgenic rice variant (ptxD-OE) over-expressing a phosphite dehydrogenase enzyme. The Phi was evaluated both preventively and curatively on rice genotypes where the preventive spray of Phi outperformed the Phi curative application with significant reductions in both rice blast severity (35.67–60.49%) and incidence (22.27–53.25%). Moreover, the application of Phi increased the levels of photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll and Carotenoids) coupled with increased activity of defense enzymes (PAL, SOD, and APx). Besides, Phi application also induced the expression of defense-associated genes (OsCEBiP and OsPDF2.2) in the rice leaf. Furthermore, the Phi application reduced the reactive Malondialdehyde (lipid peroxidation) to minimize the cellular damage incited by Magnaporthe in rice. Overall, the present study showed the potential of Phi for blast suppression on rice as an alternative to the current excessive use of toxic fungicides. [Display omitted] •Potassium phosphite (Phi) showed the antifungal activity against Magnaporthe oryzae.•Preventive spray of Phi suppressed the blast on ptxD-OE transgenic rice and its acceptor parent.•Phi spray modulated the levels of leaf photosynthetic pigments.•Phi reduced the level of Malondialdehyde (Stable end product of lipid peroxidation) in rice.•Phi elevated the defense enzymes activity and expression of defense-related genes.