Journal
LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 73, Issue 2, Pages 229-236Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1111/lam.13495
Keywords
bacterial antagonists; biological control; co‐ cultures; dual culture plate assay; fungal phytopathogens; modified in vitro screening
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Two modified in vitro antagonism tests were proposed to evaluate the antagonistic activity of bacterial strains against multiple fungal phytopathogens simultaneously, which require significantly fewer resources compared to traditional dual culture plate assay. The new methods provide rapid results and qualitatively comparable fungal inhibition compared to the conventional approach.
Biological control of plant diseases with antagonistic bacteria is a promising alternative to conventional chemical control strategies. In vitro screening for inhibition of mycelial growth of phytopathogenic fungi by bacterial isolates is the first step in selecting putative bacterial biocontrol agents. Dual culture plate assay is the most common method involved in this first-line selection process. However, it needs independent agar plates to test antagonism by a specific bacterial isolate against each of the fungal phytopathogen. Two modified in vitro antagonism tests are proposed here. Antagonistic activity of a putative biocontrol bacterial strain against four different fungal phytopathogens could be assessed in a single agar plate simultaneously. A comparison of the new methods with conventional dual culture plate assay was also done. The proposed methods are easy to perform and results of antagonism are obtained rapidly. Results of fungal inhibition were qualitatively comparable with that generated through dual culture plate assay. Quantity of resources such as agar medium and plates required for the modified antagonistic assays is several folds less than that required for dual culture plate assay.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available