title: Pseudomonas fluorescens 134 as a biological control agent (BCA) model in cell immobilization technology.
abstract: Antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani was achieved in vivo through the application of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 134 encapsulated in sodium alginate beads of different sizes (0.5, 1, and 2 mm). The activity was compared to that obtainable with chemical treatments and bead-derived liquid formulations. The latter was obtained by dissolving alginate beads of 1 and 0.5 mm in 1% Na-citrate solution before application, without any significant (P < 0.05) reduction of bacterial numbers during the dissolution process. The dry bead formulations were applied next to the seeds in plant inoculation experiments, resulting in a reduction of disease symptoms, which were markedly reduced when the liquid formulation was applied. Moreover, the rate of disease symptoms related to liquid formulations from both 1 and 0.5 mm beads was comparable (near to 10%) to that of chemical treatment. Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 134 delivered as both dry and liquid formulations was able to colonize cotton root at a population density of about 10(8) CFU/g fresh root, 15 days after sowing.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Biotecnologie Agrarie, Università di Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basaglia
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casella
authors.forename: Marco Paolo
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Nuti
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018914:Cells, Immobilized; D002951:Citrates / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D003368:Gossypium / Q000382:microbiology*; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D012232:Rhizoctonia / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000077559:Sodium Citrate
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D002951:Citrates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D000077559:Sodium Citrate; D020723:Glucuronic Acid