Interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with the ascomycete Coniochaeta ligniaria.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the interactions between Coniochaeta ligniaria F/TGF15 obtained from torrefied grass fibers (TGF) and selected bacteria from the same substrate.


RESULTS
Upon coinoculation on potato dextrose agar, Pseudomonas putida 15/TGE5, Methylobacterium radiotolerans 56/TGF10, Serratia plymutica 23/TGE5, Pseudomonas corrugata 31/TGE5, Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli 66/TGF10, Mycobacterium anthracenicum 70/TGF15 and Agromyces aurantiacus 95/TGF15 were translocated by C. ligniaria, but not in the absence of the fungus. Pseudomonas putida, P. corrugata, L. xyli subsp. xyli and A. aurantiacus were able to grow on compounds released by the fungus, but not M. radiotolerans. Antagonism towards C. ligniaria was observed for S. plymutica and P. corrugata. Pseudomonas putida was translocated by the fungus in TGF up to at least 45 mm. It also multiplied on the hyphae of C. ligniaria in TGF, reaching CFU densities of log 8.4 g(-1) dry TGF in 20 d, while the strain could not grow in nonfungal TGF. Methylobacterium radiotolerans was not translocated by the fungus in TGF.


CONCLUSIONS
Several of the selected bacteria could grow on the compounds released by the fungus, whereas two bacteria inhibited or killed the fungus.


CONCLUSIONS
It is shown that C. ligniaria has a dual role in bacterial colonization of TGF, being crucial for the detoxification of TGF, meanwhile stimulating growth and translocation of a consortium of plant-growth-promoting bacteria.
Trifonova
R
R
Plant Research International, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Postma
J
J
van Elsas
J D
JD
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D020580:Methylobacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000502:physiology