Rhizobium etli USDA9032 engineered to produce a phenazine antibiotic inhibits the growth of fungal pathogens but is impaired in symbiotic performance

Phenazine production was engineered in Rhizobium etli USDA9032 by the introduction of the phz locus of Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. Phenazine-producing R. etli was able to inhibit the growth of Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum in vitro. Black bean inoculated with phenazine-producing R. etli produced brownish Fix(-) nodules.