Biological control of bacterial wilt of bean using a bacterial endophyte, Pantoea agglomerans

• Published in: Journal of phytopathology 2005-10, Vol.153 (10), p.608-614
• Main Authors: Hsieh, T.F, Huang, H.C, Erickson, R.S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; bacterial colonization; Bacterial plant pathogens; bacterial wilt; beans; Biological and medical sciences; biological control; biological control agents; Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens; Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens; disease control; endophytes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Pantoea agglomerans; Phaseolus vulgaris; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plant pathogenic bacteria; seedlings
• ISSN: 0931-1785; 1439-0434
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0434.2005.01027.x

Indoor studies were conducted to determine the potential use of Pantoea agglomerans isolate LRC 8311 as a biocontrol agent for control of bacterial wilt of bean caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens. Soaking seeds of great northern bean cv. US1140 in a suspension of 3 × 108 cfu/ml P. agglomerans resulted in thorough endophytic colonization of the entire bean seedling from root to apical stem after 7 days, regardless of whether the inoculated seeds were hilum injured or not. Colonization of seedlings by P. agglomerans increased seedling height after 10 days, and had no negative effect on seedling emergence. Treatment of hilum‐injured bean seeds of great northern bean cv. US1140 or navy bean cv. Morden003 with a mixture of P. agglomerans + C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens resulted in a high rate of colonization of seedlings by P. agglomerans, reduced frequency of infection by C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, improved seedling emergence and height, and reduced disease severity, compared with seeds treated with the wilt pathogen alone. Application of P. agglomerans as a soil drench 24 h after planting was also effective in suppressing bacterial wilt in some instances, but was generally not as effective as seed treatment. The study suggests that seed treatment with P. agglomerans may be an effective and practical method for control of bacterial wilt of bean.