| Biological control of soft rot disease of pepper caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum by using Rahnella aquatilis |
| Paper ID : 1090-ISCHU |
| Authors |
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Kareem Abdelmeguid1, Marwa Hamada2, Elham R. S. Soliman3, Hoda Hamed El-Hendawy *4 1Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University 2Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University 3Botany and microbiology department Faculty of Science Helwan university 4Botany and Microbiology Department Faculty of Science Helwan University Helwan Cairo Egypt |
| Abstract |
| The antagonistic soil bacteria Rahnella aquatilis strains 17 and 55 restricted the growth of 9 soft rotting bacterial strains (7 Pectobacterium carotovorum strains isolated from rotted pepper fruits and rotted cabbage leaves as well as 2 Dickeya chrysanthmi strains isolated from rotted carrot roots), on nutrient agar plates. Transmission electron micrographs of P. carotovorum pep3B cells antagonized with R. aquatilis strain 17, (this treatment exhibited the highest inhibition rate), showed damaged cells with disrupted plasma membrane releasing the cellular contents. To examine whether R. aquatilis 17 could be an effective biological control agent of soft rot disease of pepper caused by the soft rotting pathogens two experiments were conducted and pepper seedlings were pretreated, before the pathogen, with R. aquatilis 17 through leaves and roots. All seedlings pretreated with the antagonistic strain 17 showed reduced susceptibility towards the P. carotovorum pep3B, increased fresh and dry weights and increased seedlings’ height relative to controls. Different parameters in the different treatments were also evaluated such as chlorophyll content, carotenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, protein concentration as well as proline concentration. The obtained results revealed that R. aquatilis 17 mitigated the effect of P. carotovorum on pepper seedlings and promoted their growth, which means that it has a high probability of being an effective biological control agent and a plant promoting bacterium. |
| Keywords |
| Antagonistic bacteria, Pectobacterium carotovorum, Rahnella aquatilis, Biological control, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |