title: Biological control of grey mould in strawberry fruits by halophilic bacteria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is an economically important disease of strawberries in Tunisia and worldwide. The aim of this study was to select effective halophilic bacteria from hypersaline ecosystems and evaluate the abilities of antifungal bacteria to secrete extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, anti-Botrytis metabolites and volatiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Grey mould was reduced in strawberry fruits treated with halophilic antagonists and artificially inoculated with B. cinerea. Thirty strains (20.2%) were active against the pathogen and reduced the percentage of fruits infected after 3 days of storage at 20 degrees C, from 50% to 91.66%. The antagonists were characterized by phenotypic tests and 16S rDNA sequencing. They were identified as belonging to one of the species: Virgibacillus marismortui, B. subtilis, B. pumilus, B. licheniformis, Terribacillus halophilus, Halomonas elongata, Planococcus rifietoensis, Staphylococcus equorum and Staphylococcus sp. The effective isolates were tested for antifungal secondary metabolites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderately halophilic bacteria may be useful in biological control against this pathogen during postharvest storage of strawberries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of such bacteria may constitute an important alternative to synthetic fungicides. These moderate halophiles can be exploited in commercial production and application of the effective strains under storage and greenhouse conditions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire, Tunisia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Essghaier
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fardeau
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cayol
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hajlaoui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudabous
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jijakli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sadfi-Zouaoui
mesh_terms: D000898:Antibiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020171:Botrytis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D031985:Fragaria / Q000382:microbiology*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D006867:Hydrolases