Mixtures of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for induction of systemic resistance against multiple plant diseases

Studies of induced systemic resistance using strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have concentrated on the use of individual PGPR as inducers against multiple diseases of a single crop. To date, few reports have examined the potential of PGPR strain mixtures to induce systemic resistance against diseases of several different plant hosts. The objective of this study was to select mixtures of compatible PGPR strains with the capacity to elicit induced systemic resistance in four hosts. The specific diseases and hosts tested in this study included: bacterial wilt of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) caused by Ralstonia solana-ceartan, anthracnose of long cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum) caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, damping off of green kuang futsoi (Brassica chinensis var. parachinensis) caused by Rhizoctonia solani, and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on cucumber (Cucumis sativus). To examine compatibility, seven selected PGPR strains were individually tested for in vitro antibiosis against all other PGPR strains and against three of the tested pathogens (R. solanacearum, C. gloeosporioides, and R. solani). No in vitro antibiosis was observed among PGPR strains or against pathogens. Twenty-one combinations of PGPR and seven individual PGPR were tested in the greenhouse for induced resistance activity. Results indicated that four mixtures of PGPR and one individual strain treatment significantly reduced the severity of all four diseases compared to the nonbacterized control: I I mixtures reduced CMV of cucumber, 16 mixtures reduced bacterial wilt of tomato, 18 mixtures reduced anthracnose of long cayenne pepper, and 7 mixtures reduced damping off of green kuang futsoi. Most mixtures of PGPR provided a greater disease suppression than individual PGPR strains. These results suggest that mixtures of PGPR can elicit induced systemic resistance to fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases in the four hosts tested. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.