Fighting Gray Mold in Pears with a Tiny Helper

Gray mold is a big problem for pear farmers. This mold, caused by a fungus called Botrytis cinerea, can ruin entire harvests. This leads to huge financial losses for farmers. Scientists have been looking for ways to stop this mold. They found a promising solution in a tiny helper called Streptomyces griseus H3950. This helpful bacteria lives with termites. It turns out, it can also protect pears from gray mold. The scientists tested this bacteria in two forms. They used the full culture and just the cell culture. Both forms worked well. They stopped the mold from growing on the pears. After two days, the mold was barely there. This shows that Streptomyces griseus H3950 can effectively fight gray mold. So, how does it work? The bacteria compete with the mold for food and space. This makes it hard for the mold to grow. But that is not all. The bacteria also help the pears fight back. They boost the pear's defenses. This makes the pears stronger against the mold. The bacteria increase the levels of certain genes in the pears. These genes help the pears resist the mold. They also make the pears produce more lignin. Lignin is a substance that makes plants strong and tough. The scientists also checked if the bacteria were safe. They tested it on mice and found no problems. This is good news. It means the bacteria can be used on fruits without harming people or animals. The bacteria can also live on the pears. This means they can protect the pears for a long time. This tiny helper could be a big solution for pear farmers. It can stop gray mold and save harvests. But more research is needed. Scientists need to test it on a larger scale. They also need to check if it works on other fruits. If it does, this bacteria could be a game-changer for farmers. It could help them fight gray mold and save their crops.