The biological control of the grapevine downy mildew disease using Ochrobactrum sp.

Grape downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Berl. & De Toni 1888, is a widespread fungal disease that causes serious harm to the grape production. The long-term continuous use of chemical pesticides has caused issues with the resistance, residues and resurgence, as well as creating environmental pollution and the declining quality of the products. A biological control offers a safe and effective method to control diseases. We determined the in vitro antagonistic activity of 303 bacterial strains from infected grapevine leaves, and 12 isolates showed some level of antagonism in a detached leaf assay. Isolate SY286 reduced the disease severity in the detached leaves by 93.18%, and showed good control effects in a field assay. The scanning electron microscopy showed the damaged P. viticola cell walls when the mycelia and sporangia were treated with the fermentation liquor of isolate SY286. Furthermore, it showed an antagonistic activity against Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Colletotrichum orbiculare, Trichothecium roseum, and Botryosphaeria berengeriana. The isolate was identified as Ochrobactrum sp. combined with its morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical reactions and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and it has the potential to control the grapevine downy mildew.