Root Colonizing and Biocontrol Competency of Serratia plymuthica A21-4 against Phytophthora Blight of Pepper

The biocontrol agent Serratia plymuthica A21-4 readily colonized on the root of pepper plant and the bacterium moves to newly emerging roots continuously. The colonization of A21-4 on the pepper root was influenced by the presence ofPhytophthora capsici in the soil. When P. capsici was introduced in advance, the population density of A21-4 on the root of pepper plant was sustained more than $10^6$ cfu/g root until 3 weeks after transplanting. On the other hand, in the absence of P. capsici, the population density of A21-4 was reduced continuously and less than $10^5$ cfu/g root at 21 days after transplanting. S. plymuthica A21-4 inhibited successfully the P. capsici population in pepper root and rhizosphere soil. In the rhizosphere soil, the population density of P. capsici was not increased more than original inoculum density when A21-4 was treated, but it increased rapidly in non-treated control. Similarly, the population density of P. capsici sharply increased in the non-treated control, however the population of P. capsici in A21-4 treated plant was not increased in pepper roots. The incidence of Phytophthora blight on pepper treated with A21-4 was 12.6%, while that of non-treated pepper was 74.5% in GSNU experimental farm experiment. And in farmer's vinyl house experiment, the incidence of the disease treated with the fungicide was 27.3%, but treatment of A21-4 resulted in only 4.7% of the disease incidence, showing above 80% disease control efficacy.