Screening and Identification of Antagonistic Bacillus spp. Against Colletotrichum higginsianum

Abstract:

Two antagonistic strains of Bacillus, 19E2 and 13A1, were isolated from soil and were shown to have strong inhibitory effects on the growth of Colletotrichum higginsianum. Through morphological observation, physiological and biochemical characteristics, analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, and partial analysis of specific chromosomal genes, the two isolates were both identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Growth of C. higginsianum on potato dextrose agar was inhibited by strains 19E2 and 13A1 by 75.62% and 85.35% respectively at 10% concentration of the Bacillus culture. Growth of C. higginsianum was completely inhibited (100%) at 20% Bacillus culture concentration. Results also demonstrated similar inhibitory effects by the two Bacillus strains on growing cultures of C. capsici, C. gloeosporioides, Botrytis cinerea, Cylindrocladium spathiphylli and Fusarium oxysorum.