Impact of Rhizosphere Competence of Biocontrol Agents upon Diseases Suppression and Plant Growth Promotion

Root colonization of biocontrol agents via seed treatment was investigated and a compatible combination, Gliocladium virens G872B and Pseudomonas putida Pf3, in colonizing cucumber rhizosphere was confirmed through the study. Much higher number of fungal and bacterial propagules were detected when two isolates were inoculated together. The presence of Pf3 in root system was greatly helpful to G872B to colonize at root tip. The mechanism of this phenomenon is partially elucidated through the results of in vitro experiments and the observations of scanning electron and fluorescence microscope. Addition of Pf3 cells resulted earlier germination of G872B conidia and increased mycelial growth. And the more number of germinated conidia on seed coat, the more vigorous hypal streching and sporulation on the root surface were observed in coinoculated treatment. The propagules of G872B on the cucumber root when they were challenged against the pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum, were even higher than that of G872B treated alone, and the magnitude of such a difference was getting grater toward the root ip and the population of F. oxysporum on the root was reduced by seed inoculation of G872B. The rhizosphere competence was obviously reflected to disease suppression and plant growth promotion that induced by the given isolate. Green house experiments revealed that the combined treatment provided long-term disease suppression with greater rate and the larger amount of fruit yield than single treatments. Through this study the low temperature growing Pseudomonas fluorescens M45 and MC07 were evaluated to apply them to the winter crops in field or plastic film house. In vitro tests reveal that M45 and MC07 inhibited the mycelial growth of Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctona solani and Phytophthora capsici and enhanced growth of cucumber cotyledon in MS agar. This effect was more pronounced when the bacteria were incubated at 14$^{\circ}C$ than at 27$^{\circ}C$. And disease suppression and plant growth promotion in green house were also superior at low temperature condition. Seed treatment of M45 or soil treatment of MC07 brought successful control of damping-off and enhanced seedling growth of cucumber. The combined treatment of two isolates was more effective than any single treatment.