Studies of the antagonistic activities of bacteria endemic to cereal seeds.

The seeds of two cultivars of rice and wheat were examined for the presence of bacteria antagonistic to the growth of fungal plant pathogens. A yellow-pigmented bacterium was found to predominate on rice seed cv. Sasashigure, and in pure culture strongly inhibited mycelial growth of a wide range of pathogens. A similarly inhibitory, cream-coloured bacterium was predominant on wheat seeds cv. Longbow. This paper describes the isolation and range of antagonism of these organisms, and details their identification as a member of the Erwinia herbicola group and Pseudomonas syringae respectively.