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Identification and evaluation of a potential biocontrol agent, Bacillus subtilis, against Fusarium sp. in apple seedlings

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Abstract

To find a potential biocontrol agent against Fusarium sp. in apple seedlings, an endophytic bacterium strain was isolated from apple tree tissues. The inhibitive efficiency of the isolated strain against the hyphal growth of Fusarium sp. and Rhizoctonia solani was tested. Strain Y-1 showed significant inhibitory effects against Fusarium oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. proliferatum, F. solani and R. solani. Its antifungal activity against F. oxysporum was the highest, reaching up to 64.90 %. In vivo tests indicated that strain Y-1 effectively protects apple from F. oxysporum infections. The control effect reached 92.26 % when bacterial inoculation was performed 3 days prior to pathogen inoculation. Strain Y-1 could colonize the rhizosphere and tissues within 30 days. It was also able to induce systemic resistance in apple seedlings as shown by the activities of SOD and POD. Strain Y-1 significantly increased the root length, root wet and dry weights, and plant height of the apple seedlings compared with the control group. The homology analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence, together with morphological, physical, and biochemical analyses, revealed that strain Y-1 is Bacillus subtilis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the reviewers for their helpful comments and improvement of the text. This work was supported by The National Special Funds for Nonprofit Research in Forestry Industry (Grant No. 201304212) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31270686).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China

    Ruicheng Ju, Yuhua Zhao, Hongxia Jiang, Baoqiang Zhou & Xiaoyi Zhou

  2. College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China

    Jinyu Li, Peng Liu, Tao Yang, Zhengzong Bao & Xunli Liu

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  1. Ruicheng Ju
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  2. Yuhua Zhao
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  3. Jinyu Li
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  4. Hongxia Jiang
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  5. Peng Liu
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  6. Tao Yang
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  7. Zhengzong Bao
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  8. Baoqiang Zhou
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  9. Xiaoyi Zhou
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  10. Xunli Liu
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Correspondence to Xunli Liu.

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Ju, R., Zhao, Y., Li, J. et al. Identification and evaluation of a potential biocontrol agent, Bacillus subtilis, against Fusarium sp. in apple seedlings. Ann Microbiol 64, 377–383 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-013-0672-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-013-0672-3

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