Skip to main content

Control of Plant Pathogenic Fungi with Bacterial Endophytes

  • Chapter
Microbial Root Endophytes

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 9))

4.6 Conclusions

Most plants are colonised by a broad spectrum of endophytic bacteria that arepotentially antagonistic towards fungal plant pathogens. This enormous potential needs to be further explored for its use in modern plant disease control strategies. This requires not only a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and their regulation in response to environmental factors, but also amore comprehensive picture of what triggers endophytic colonisation as well as of the population dynamics of antagonistic bacterial endophytes within the plant. Continuing research in this area will hopefully lead to new and innovative concepts for biological control of fungal pathogens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adhikari TB, Joseph CM, Yang G, Phillips DA, Nelson LM (2001) Evaluation of bacteria isolated from rice for plant growth promotion and biological control of seedling disease of rice. Can J Microbiol 47:916–924

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed AS, Ezziyyani M, Pérez Sánchez C, Candela ME (2003) Effect of chitin on biological control activity of Bacillus spp. and Trichoderma harzianum against root rot disease in pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants. Eur J Plant Pathol 109:633–637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arshad M, Frankenberger WT (1991) Microbial production of plant hormones. In: Keister DL, Cregan PB (eds) The rhizosphere and plant growth. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 327–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Benhamou N, Kloepper JW, Tuzun S (1998) Induction of resistance against Fusarium wilt of tomato by combination of chitosan with an endophytic bacterial strain. Planta 204:153–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg G (2000) Diversity of antifungal and plant-associated Serratia strains. J Appl Microbiol 88:952–960

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg G, Roskot N, Steidle A, Eberl L, Zock A, Smalla K (2002) Plant-dependent genotypic and phenotypic diversity of antagonistic rhizobacteria isolated from different Verticillium host plants. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:3328–3338

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg G, Krechel A, Ditz M, Faupel A, Sikora RA, Ulrich A, Hallmann J (2005) Endophytic and ectophytic potato-associated bacterial communities differ in structure and antagonistic function against plant pathogenic fungi. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 51:215–229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bloemberg GV, Lugtenberg BJJ (2001) Molecular basis of plant growth promotion and biocontrol by rhizobacteria. Curr Opin Plant Biol 4:343–350

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burghes HD (1998) Formulation of biopesticides. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Bauske EM, Musson G, Rodríguez-Kábana R, Kloepper JW (1995) Biological control of Fusarium wilt on cotton by use of endophytic bacteria. Biol Control 5:83–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chernin, L, Chet I (2002) Microbial enzymes in biocontrol of plant pathogens and pests. In: Burns R, Dick R (eds) Enzymes in the environment: activity, ecology, and applications. Dekker, New York, pp 171–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Cho SJ, Lim WJ, Hong SY, Park SR, Yun HD (2002) Endophytic colonization of balloon flower by antifungal strain Bacillus sp. CY22. Biosci Biotech Biochem 67:2132–2138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coombs JT, Michelson PP, Franco CMM (2004) Evaluation of endophytic actinobacteria as antagonists of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici in wheat. Biol Control 29:359–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Souza JT, Raaijmakers JM (2003) Polymorphisms within the prnD and pltC genes from pyrrolnitrin and pyoluteorin-producing Pseudomonas and Burkholderia spp. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 43:21–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Döbereiner J, Pedrosa FO (1987) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in non-leguminous crop plants. Science Tech, Madison, WI

    Google Scholar 

  • Downing KJ, Thomson JA (2000) Introduction of the Serratia marcescens chi A gene into an endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescensfluorescens for the biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi. Can J Microbiol 46:363–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy BK, Défago G (1997) Fusarium pathogenicity factor blocks antibiotic biosynthesis by Pseudomonas biocontrol strains. IOBC WPRS Bull 21:145–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Duffy B, Schouten A, Raaijmakers JM (2003) Pathogen self-defense: mechanisms to counteract microbial antagonism. Annu Rev Phytopathol 41:501–538

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Tarabily KA (2003) An endophytic chitinase-producing isolate of Actinoplanes missouriences, with potential for biological control of root rot of lupin caused by Plectosporium tabacinum. Aust J Bot 51:257–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmert EAB, Handelsman J (1999) Biocontrol of plant disease: a (Gram+) positive perspective. FEMS Microbiol Lett 171:1–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Estrada P, Mavingui P, Cournoyer B, Fontaine F, Balandreau J, Caballero-Mellado J (2002) A N2-fixing endophytic Burkholderia sp. associated with maize plants cultivated in Mexico. Can J Microbiol 48:285–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fahey JW, Dimock MB, Tomasino SF, Taylor JM, Carlson, PS (1991) Genetically engineered endophytes as biocontrol agents: a case study from industry. In: Andrews JH, Hirano SS (eds) Microbial ecology of leaves. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 401–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Faltin F, Lottmann J, Grosch R, Berg G (2004) Strategy to select and assess antagonistic bacteria for biological control of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn. Can J Microbiol 50:811–820

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fray RG (2002) Altering plant-microbe interaction through artificially manipulating bacterial quorum sensing. Ann Bot 89:245–253

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fravel DR (1988)Role of antibiosis in the biocontrol of plant diseases. Annu Rev Phytopathol 26:75–91

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frommel MI, Nowak J, Lazarovits J (1991) Growth enhancement and developmental modifications of in vitro grown potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum) as affected by a nonfluorescent Pseudomonas sp. Plant Physiol 96:928–936

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garbeva P, van Overbeek LS, van Vuurde JWL, van Elsas JD (2001) Analysis of endophytic bacterial communities of potato by plating and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rDNA based PCR fragments. Microb Ecol 413:69–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Germida JJ, Siciliano SD (2001) Taxonomic diversity of bacteria associated with the roots of modern, recent and ancient wheat cultivars. Biol Fertil Soils 33:410–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germida JJ, Siciliano SD, Freitas JR de, Seib AM (1998) Diversity of root-associated bacteria associated with field-grown canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticumaestivum L.). FEMS Microbiol Ecol 26:43–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Graner G, Persson P, Meijer J, Alstrom S (2003) A study on microbial diversity in different cultivars of Brassica napus in relation to its wilt pathogen, Verticillium longisporum. FEMS Microbiol Lett 29:269–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hallmann J, Rodríguez-Kábana R, Kloepper JW (1999) Chitin-mediated changes in bacterial communities of the soil, rhizosphere and within roots of cotton in relation to nematode control. Soil Biol Biochem 31:551–560

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hecht-Buchholz C (1998) The apoplast-habitat of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and their significance for the nitrogen nutrition on nonleguminous plants. Z Pflanzenernähr Bodenkd 161:509–520

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hornschuh M, Grotha R, Kutschera U (2002) Epiphytic bacteria associated with the bryophyte Funaria hygrometrica: effects of Methylobacterium strains on protonema development. Plant Biol 4:682–687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurek T, Reinhold-Hurek B (2003) Azoarcus sp. strain BH72 as a model for nitrogen-fixing grass endophytes. J Biotechnol 106:169–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krechel A, Faupel A, Hallmann J, Ulrich A, Berg G (2002) Potato-associated bacteria and their antagonistic potential towards plant-pathogenic fungi and the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood. Can J Microbiol 48:772–786

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurze S, Dahl R, Bahl H, Berg G (2001) Biological control of fungal strawberry diseases by Serratia HRO-C48. Plant Dis 85:529–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leifert C, Morris CE, Waites WM (1994) Ecology of microbial saprophytes and pathogens in tissue culture and field-grown plants: reasons for contamination problems in vitro. Crit Rev Plant Sci 13:139–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Lugtenberg BJJ, Dekkers L, Bloemberg GV (2001) Molecular determinants of rhizosphere colonization by Pseudomonas. Annu Rev Phytopathol 39:461–490

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mocali S, Bertelli E, Di Cello F, Mengoni A, Sfalanga A, Viliani F, Caciotti A, Tegli S, Surico G, Fani R (2003) Fluctuation of bacteria isolated from elm tissues during different seasons and from different plant organs. Res Microbiol 154:105–114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Musson G, McInroy JA, Kloepper JW (1995) Development of delivery systems for introducing endophytic bacteria into cotton. Biocontrol Sci Technol 5:407–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neiendam-Nielson M, Sörensen J, Fels J, Pedersen HC (1998) Secondary metabolite-and endochitinase-dependent antagonism toward plant-pathogenic microfungi of Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates from sugar beet rhizosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:3563–3569

    Google Scholar 

  • Nejad P, Johnson PA (2000) Endophytic bacteria induce growth promotion and wilt disease suppression in oilseed rape and tomato. Biol Control 18:208–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan DJ, O’Gara F (1992) Traits of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. involved in suppression of plant root pathogens. Microbiol Rev 56:662–676

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pleban S, Ingel F, Chet I (1995) Control of Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotium rolfsii in the greenhouse using endophytic Bacillus spp. Eur J Plant Pathol 101:665–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pleban S, Chernin L, Chet I (1997) Chitinolytic activity of an endophytic strain of Bacillus. Lett Appl Microbiol 25:284–288

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raaijmakers JM, Weller DM, Thomoshow LS (1997) Frequency of antibiotic-producing Pseudomonas spp. in natural environments. Appl Environ Microbiol 63:881–887

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reiter B, Pfeifer U, Schwab H, Sessitsch A (2002) Response of endophytic bacterial communities in potato plants to infection with Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:2261–2268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salles JF, De Souza FA, van Elsas JD (2001) Molecular method to assess the diversity of Burkholderia species in environmental samples. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:1595–1603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sessitsch A, Reiter B, Pfeifer U, Wilhelm E (2002) Cultivation-independent population analysis of bacterial endophytes in three potato varieties based on eubacterial and Actinomycetes-specific PCR of 16S rRNA genes. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 39:23–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sessitsch A, Reiter B, Berg G (2004) Endophytic bacterial communities of field-grown potato plants and their plant growth-promoting abilities. Can J Microbiol 50:239–249

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma VK, Nowak J (1998) Enhancement of Verticillium wilt resistance in tomato transplants by in vitro co-culture of seedlings with a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (Pseudomonas sp.) strain PsJN. Can J Microbiol 44:528–536

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siciliano DS, Forin N, Mihoc A, Wisse G, Labell S, Beaumier D, Ouellette D, Roy R, Whyte LG, Banks MK, Schwab P, Lee K, Greer CW (2001) Selection of specific endophytic bacterial genotypes by plants in response to soil contamination. Appl EnvironMicrobiol 67:2469–2475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smalla K (2004) Culture-independentmicrobiology. In: Bull AT (ed) Microbial diversity and bioprospecting. ASM, Washington DC, pp 88–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Sturz AV, Christie BR, Matheson BG (1997) Associations of bacterial endophyte populations from redclover and potato crops with potential for beneficial allelo pathy. Can J Microbiol 44:162–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sturz AV, Christie BR, Matheson BG, Arsenault WJ, Buchanan NA (1999) Endophytic bacterial communities in the periderm of potato tubers and their potential to improve resistance to soilborne plant pathogens. Plant Pathol 48:360–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sturz AV, Christie BR, Nowak J (2000) Bacterial endophytes: potential role in developing sustainable systems of crop production. Crit Rev Plant Sci 19:1–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjamos EC, Tsitsigiannis DI, Tjamos SE, Antoniou P, Katinakis P (2004) Selection and screening of endorhizosphere bacteria from solarised soils as biocontrol agents against Verticillium dahliae of solanaceous hosts. Eur J Plant Pathol 110:35–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weller DM (1988) Biological control of soilborne plant pathogens in the rhizosphere with bacteria. Annu Rev Phytopathol 26:379–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whipps JM (1997) Ecological considerations involved in commercial development of biological control agents for soil-borne diseases. In: Van Elsas JD, Trevors JT, Wellington EMH (eds) Modern soil microbiology. Dekker, New York, pp 525–545

    Google Scholar 

  • Whipps J (2001) Microbial interactions and biocontrol in the rhizosphere. J Exp Bot 52:487–511

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Widmer F, Seidler RJ, Gillevet PM, Watrud LS, Di Giovanni GD (1998) A highly selective PCR protocol for detecting 16S rRNA genes of the genus Pseudomonas (sensu stricto) in environmental samples. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:2545–2553

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J (2003) Microarrays for bacterial detection and microbial community analysis. Curr Opin Microbiol 6:288–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zinniel DK, Lambrecht P, Harris NB, Feng Z, Kuczmarski D, Higley P, Ishimaru CA, Arunakumari A, Barletta RG, Vidaver AK (2002) Isolation and characterization of endophytic colonizing bacteria from agronomic crops and prairie plants. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:2198–2208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Berg, G., Hallmann, J. (2006). Control of Plant Pathogenic Fungi with Bacterial Endophytes. In: Schulz, B.J.E., Boyle, C.J.C., Sieber, T.N. (eds) Microbial Root Endophytes. Soil Biology, vol 9. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-33526-9_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics