title: Isolation and characterization of mutants of Pseudomonas maltophila PM-4 altered in chitinolytic activity and antagonistic activity against root rot pathogens of clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba).
abstract: Pseudomonas maltophila PM-4, an antagonist of pathogenic fungi including Rhizoctonia bataticola, R. solani, Fusarium oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum associated with root rot of clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) was mutagenized with Tn5. Hyperchitinase producing mutants showing large zone of colloidal chitin dissolution were identified on medium containing calcoflor dye as an indicator. A mutant P-48 producing 137% higher chitinase activity than the parent strain PM-4 was identified. Seed bacterization of clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) with P-48 controlled the root rot upto 40.8% in the presence of conglomerate of all the four fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia bataticola, R. solani, F. oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, 125 004 India.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sharma
keywords: Biocontrol; Tn5 mutagenesis; bacterial antagonist; chitinase; clusterbean; root rot