Endophytic colonization pathways of Pseudomonas chlororaphis M71 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 in grapevine following stem injection

Abstract

Endophytic biocontrol agents may contribute to grapevine health, but their ability to establish, persist, and move within woody tissues remains poorly understood. In this study, a stem injection method was developed to introduce Pseudomonas chlororaphis M71 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 into rooted and grafted grapevine plants, and their spatial and temporal colonization patterns were compared with the movement of a dye tracer. The dye tracer moved rapidly through xylem tissues, whereas both microorganisms showed more restricted early distribution. Over time, M71 and SC1 displayed distinct colonization patterns. M71 persisted after injection, but remained localized near the inoculation site, with limited movement toward roots or distal aerial tissues. In grafted plants, M71 recovery depended on the injection site and declined more markedly after rootstock injection than after scion injection. In contrast, SC1 showed broader and more persistent colonization. In rooted cuttings, SC1 was recovered from stem and root tissues up to 56 days post-injection, and in grafted plants it was recovered across the graft union, particularly after scion injection. Microscopy supported internal localization of both microorganisms. GFP-labelled M71 and SC1 hyphae were observed mainly within xylem vessels, and viable microorganisms were recovered from corresponding wood tissues. No contamination was observed in control plants. These results show that beneficial microorganisms can be introduced into grapevine tissues by stem injection and that bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents differ markedly in their internal movement and persistence. IMPORTANCEIntroducing beneficial microorganisms directly into plant tissues could help in establishing protective endophytic populations, but little is known about how such microorganisms move and persist inside grapevine. This study shows that stem injection can deliver Pseudomonas chlororaphis M71 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 into grapevine tissues without visible phytotoxicity. The two microorganisms followed different colonization patterns. M71 remained mostly localized near the injection site, whereas SC1 spread more broadly and persisted in both rooted and grafted plants. These findings provide a basis for developing targeted endophytic biocontrol strategies in grapevine propagation and early plant establishment. This approach may be particularly relevant for grapevine trunk diseases and other vascular disorders, in which pathogens colonize internal woody tissues.