Streptomyces sesquiterpenes elicit 10-HCA secretion and recruit disease-suppressive microbiota to enhance banana Fusarium wilt resistance

Abstract Plant-beneficial microbe interactions are vital for enhancing soil-borne disease resistance, largely through the assembly of a disease-suppressive microbiome. However, the mechanisms governing these interactions remain elusive. Here, we establish an interaction model between banana and Streptomyces yongxingensis sp. nov. 2-11. We demonstrate that strain Sy2-11 suppresses banana Fusarium wilt (BFW) by recruiting a protective rhizosphere microbiome. Furthermore, we identify sesquiterpenes (aristolene and ledene), produced by strain Sy2-11, as key signaling molecules that trigger banana roots to biosynthesize 10-hydroxycapric acid (10-HCA). Interestingly, 10-HCA specifically enriches beneficial Bacillus spp., which is essential for the suppression of BFW. This effect is validated by synthetic communities (SynComs) and chemotaxis-deficient mutants of Bacillus velezensis . Our findings reveal a previously unreported mechanism that differs from conventional plant-microbe interactions, whereby Streptomyces , acting as a beneficial elicitor, releases sesquiterpene signals to trigger 10-HCA secretion in banana plants, thereby orchestrating the assembly of a rhizosphere microbiome that suppresses BFW. These findings provide a promising strategy for rhizosphere micro-ecological regulation and sustainable soil-borne disease control, with significant potential for advancing sustainable agriculture.