title: Strategy to select and assess antagonistic bacteria for biological control of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn.
abstract: A screening strategy was developed to assess the potential of plant-associated bacteria to control diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn. About 434 already characterized antagonistic bacterial strains isolated from diverse plant species and microenvironments were evaluated for biocontrol and plant growth promotion by a hierarchical combination of assays. Analyzing in vitro antagonism towards different Rhizoctonia isolates resulted in a selection of 20 potential biocontrol agents. The strains were characterized by their antagonistic mechanisms in vitro as well as their production of the plant growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid. The plant growth promoting effect by antagonistic bacteria was determined using a microtiter plate assay on the basis of lettuce seedlings. Lettuce and sugar beet as host plant were included in the biocontrol experiments in which the antagonistic effect of 17 bacterial isolates could be confirmed in vivo. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene and (or) fatty acid methyl ester gas chromatography was used to identify the antagonistic isolates. Molecular fingerprints of isolates obtained by BOX-polymerase chain reaction were compared to avoid further investigation with genetically very similar strains and to obtain unique molecular fingerprints for quality control and patent licensing. According to our strategy, an assessment scheme was developed and four interesting biological control agents, Pseudomonas reactans B3, Pseudomonas fluorescens B1, Serratia plymuthica B4, and Serratia odorifera B6, were found. While S. plymuthica B4 was the best candidate to biologically control Rhizoctonia in lettuce, P. reactans B3 was the best candidate to suppress the pathogen in sugar beet.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, D-18051 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faltin
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lottmann
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grosch
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D000898:Antibiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018545:Lactuca / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D010802:Phylogeny; D063245:Plant Development; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012232:Rhizoctonia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012705:Serratia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C030737:indoleacetic acid