Cultivar response against root-infecting fungi and efficacy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in controlling soybean root rot

Abstract

A study was conducted in the greenhouse to examine the resistance of three soybean cultivars against root-infecting fungi, and to determine the role of five strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in protecting the roots from these fungal pathogens. In this study soybean cv RAWAL was found to be less susceptible against charcoal rot fungus Macrophomina phaseolina than cvs PARC and BRAGG. Most of the strains of P. aeruginosa used as seed dressing significantly reduced M. phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani infection on all three cvs PARC, BRAGG and RAWAL (p < 0.05). Most of the strains of P. aeruginosa were effective on cv PARC against Fusarium solani infection, while on cv BRAGG P. aeruginosa strain Pa₃, and on cv RAWAL strain Pa₅ were effective. Both strains Pa₃ and Pa₂₂ gave maximum plant height and fresh weight of shoots, respectively on cvs PARC and BRAGG than other strains. These characteristics make these P. aeruginosa strains good candidates for use as biocontrol agents against soil-borne plant pathogens.     

Biological control of root rot-root knot disease complex of tomato

Efficacy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa alone or in combination with Paecilomyces lilacinus was evaluated in the control of root-knot nematode and root-infecting fungi under laboratory and field conditions. Ethyl acetate extract (1 mg/ml) of P. lilacinus and P. aeruginosa,respectively, caused 100 and 64% mortality of Meloidogyne javanica larvae after 24 h. Ethyl acetate fractions of biocontrol agents were more effective than hexane extracts in the suppression of M. javanica larvae, indicating that active nematicidal compounds are intermediary in polarity. In field experiments, biocontrol fungus and bacterium significantly suppressed soilborne root-infecting fungi including Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani and Meloidogyne javanica, the root-knot nematode. P. lilacinus parasitized eggs and female of M. javanica and this parasitism was not significantly influenced in the presence of P. aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa was reisolated from the inner root tissues of tomato, whereas P. lilacinusdid not colonize tomato roots. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

镰刀菌Fusarium solani菌株对卤虫Artemia salina的毒性

寻找能杀伤肿瘤细胞而对正常细胞无毒的抗癌药物极具挑战性。具有细胞毒性的植物或者真菌可能含有抗肿瘤的化合物。卤虫无节幼体的致死性可作为筛选抗肿瘤化合物的试验。本研究运用从不同农作物种子分离的8株镰刀菌（Fusarium solani）培养滤液来测试卤虫的细胞毒性效果。结果表明,5株菌株（TS、S-29、B-17、C-10和W-5）对卤虫显示高毒性;3株菌株（SR、T-9和L-25）显示低毒性,且毒性随着培养滤液的稀释而减弱。5株菌株（TS、B-17、SR、T-9和L-25）按照1∶10稀释能导致30％以上的死亡率。NaOH中和后的滤液毒性略微降低,表明培养滤液的pH值可能影响毒性。这些菌株冻干的滤液相对于未冻干的滤液毒性较低。只在3株温和毒性的菌株中得到正己烷可溶萃取物;氯仿可溶萃取物的量极微而不能作进一步处理。各菌株的毒性效果各不相同。从镰刀菌（F. solani）分离的化合物可开发为毒性化合物。     

Suppression of Root Rotting Fungi and Root Knot Nematode of Chili by Seaweed and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Solvent fractions (i.e. n -hexane, chloroform and methanol) of the ethanol extracts of the seaweeds Codium iyengarii , Jania capillacea , Stokeyia indica and Solieria robusta caused more than 50% mortality of Meloidogyne javanica juveniles within 24 h at 10 mg/ml. Nematode mortality increased with an increase in fraction concentration or exposure time. The n -hexane fractions from S. indica , J . capillacea and C . iyengarii and the chloroform fraction from S . robusta also resulted in more than 50% mortality within 48 h at 1.0 mg/ml. In a screen-house experiment application of S . indica and S . robusta as soil amendments alone or with Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), significantly suppressed infection of chili roots by root-infecting fungi Macrophomina phaseolina , Rhizoctonia solani , Fusarium solani and the root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica . Seaweed alone or with PGPR also increased plant growth. Suppressive effect on root pathogens and growth enhancement potential of seaweeds and P . aeruginosa were also effective in field plots.     

Use of Rhizobia in the Control of Root Rot Diseases of Sunflower, Okra, Soybean and Mungbean

Biocontrol potential of Rhizobium and Bradyrbizobium against soilborne root infecting fungi was tested. In vitro tests Rhizobium meliloti inhibited growth of Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani while Bradyrhizobium japonicum inhibited M. phaseolina and R. solani producing zones of inhibition. In field R. meliloti, R. leguminosarum and B. japonicum used either as seed dressing or as soil drench reduced infection of M. phaseolina, R. solani and Fusarium spp., in both leguminous (soybean, mungbean) and non-leguminous (sunflower and okra) plants.     

Suppression of the root rot–root knot disease complex by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in tomato: The influence of inoculum density,nematode populations,moisture and other plant-associated bacteria

The influence of different application rates of the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, population densities of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica, moisture and other plant-associated bacteria in the suppression of root rot–root knot disease complex of tomato are described. The impact of these factors on bacterial rhizosphere and inner root and shoot establishment are also presented. The highest inoculum level of P. aeruginosa (7.4 × 10⁸ cfu ml^–1) in the presence of the lowest population density of M. javanica (500 J2/plant) caused the greatest reduction in gall formation due to M. javanica. The number of root–knot nematodes recovered from soil and roots treated with P. aeruginosa were also significantly reduced. Root infection caused by the soilborne root-infecting fungi Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and Rhizoctonia solani was also effectively suppressed following application of P. aeruginosa. A P. aeruginosa-Bacillus subtilis treatment was the most effective in the suppression of root-rot disease complex with enhancement of plant growth. Biocontrol and growth promoting potential of the bacterium was enhanced when soil was kept at 50% or 75% moisture holding capacity, whereas a 25% MHC reduced bacterial efficacy. Rhizosphere population of P. aeruginosa declined drastically in P. aeruginosa-Bradyrhizobium japonicum treatments. Rhizosphere colonisation by P. aeruginosa seems to be governed by two factors: Initial inoculum size of the bacterium and severity of the root-knot disease. Endoroot and endoshoot colonisation of the bacterium was dependent on degree of root-colonisation by Fusarium oxysporum. An inoculum level 2.5 × 10⁸ cfu/ml of P. aeruginosa was optimal for the enhancement of plant growth, whereas inoculum below this level reduced plant growth.