title: Characterization of biosurfactant-producing strains of fluorescent pseudomonads in a soilless cultivation system.
abstract: The use of biosurfactants is a promising alternative in biological control of zoospore-producing plant pathogens. In the present study, biosurfactant production by the indigenous population of fluorescent pseudomonads in a soilless plant cultivation system was studied during the growing season. A total of 600 strains was screened and of these 18.5% were observed to produce biosurfactants. Production of both antibiotics and biosurfactant was uncommon among the isolated strains. A selective effect of the cultivation system filter was observed on the biosurfactant-producing strains and these strains were only occasionally observed after the filter, despite having a significantly higher motility than the nonbiosurfactant-producing strains. The majority of biosurfactant-producing strains were isolated from the filter skin, which suggests that this is a suitable surface for inoculation with biocontrol strains.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Horticultural Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 44, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden. malin.hultberg@ltj.slu.se
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hultberg
authors.forename: Karl-Johan
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Bergstrand
authors.forename: Sammar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alsanius
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D018527:Hydroponics; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013501:Surface-Active Agents