The Plant Pathology Journal

The Korean Society of Plant Pathology (한국식물병리학회)
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Induction of Systemic Resistance in Watermelon to Gummy Stem Rot by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria

  • Lee, Yong-Hoon (Division of Plant Environment, National Honam Agricultural Experiment Station) ;
  • Lee, Wang-Hyu (Faculty of Biological Resources and Science, Chonbuk National University) ;
  • Shim, Hyeong-Kwon (Division of Plant Environment, National Honam Agricultural Experiment Station) ;
  • Lee, Du-Ku (Division of Plant Environment, National Honam Agricultural Experiment Station)
  • Published : 2000.01.01
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Abstract

The selected five plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains, WR8-3 (Pseudomonas fluorescens), WR8-6 (P. putida), WR9-9 (P. fluorescens), WR9-11 (Pseudomonas sp.), and WR9-16 (P. putida) isolated in the rhizosphere of watermelon plants were tested on their growth promotion and control effect against gummy stem rot of watermelon. Strains, WR8-3 and WR9-16 significantly increased stem length of watermelon, and there was a little increase in leaf area, fresh weight and root length when strains, WR8-3, WR9-9 and WR9-16 were treated. Generally, seed treatment was better for plant growth promotion than the soil drench, but there was no significant difference. Seed treatment and soil drench of each bacterial strain also significantly reduced the mean lesion area (MLA) by gummy stem rot, but there was no significant difference between the two treatments. At initial inoculum densities of each strain ranging from 10$^6\;to\;10^{15}$ cfu/g seed, approximately the same level of disease resistance was induced. But resistance induction was not induced at the initial inoculum density of 10$^3$ cfu/g seed. Resistance was induced by treating the strains, WR9-9, WR9-11 and WR9-16, on all of four watermelon varieties tested, and there was no significant difference in the decrease of gummy stem rot among varieties. Populations of the strains treated initially at log 9-10 cfu/g seed, followed with a rapid decrease from planting day to 1 week after planting, but the population density was maintained above log 5.0 cfu/g soil until 4 weeks after planting. Generally no or very weak in vitro antagonism was observed at the strains treated excepting WR9-11. Rifampicin-resistant bacteria which had been inoculated were not detected in the stems or leaves, which suggesting that the bacterium and the pathogens remained spatially separated during the experiment. This is the first report of rsistance induction in watermelon to gummy stem rot by PGPR strains.

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