Skip to main content

Advances in Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Biological Control of Plant Diseases

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Bacteria in Agrobiology: Disease Management

Abstract

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonizes the root system of plants and can modulate plant growth by enhancing the availability of nutrients and protect the plant from phytopathogens. For a long period, PGPR were mainly used as biofertilizers in agriculture fields. Biological control of plant diseases has emerged as a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides and fungicides. Recently, the application of PGPR has been extended to control several diseases in economically important plants. Numerous unequivocal evidences suggest that PGPR play a key role in the suppression of various plant pathogens by different mechanisms. This review presents the recent advances in our understanding of biological control by PGPR and their interactions with the plant system.

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 EPUB and 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

References

  • Bacilio-Jimenez M, Aguilar-Flores S, Ventura-Zapata E, Perez-Campos E, Bouquelet S, Zenteno E (2003) Chemical characterization of root exudates from rice (Oryza sativa) and their effects on the chemotactic response of endophytic bacteria. Plant Soil 249:271–277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bais HP, Park SW, Weir TL, Callaway RM, Vivanco JM (2004) How plants communicate using the underground information superhighway. Trends Plant Sci 9:26–32

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bargabus RL, Zidack NK, Sherwood JW, Jacobsen BJ (2002) Characterization of systemic resistance in sugar beet elicited by a non-pathogenic, phyllosphere colonizing Bacillus mycoides, biological control agent. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 61:289–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bargabus RL, Zidack NK, Sherwood JW, Jacobsen BJ (2004) Screening for the identification of potential biological control agents that induce systemic acquired resistance in sugar beet. Biol Control 30:342–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barka EA, Belarbi A, Hachet C, Nowak J, Audran J-C (2000) Enhancement of in-vitro growth and resistance to gray mold of Vitis vinifera co-cultured with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. FEMS Microbiol Lett 186:91–95

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benhamou N (2004) Potential of the mycoparasite, Verticillium lecanii, to protect citrus fruit against Penicillium digitatum, the causal agent of green mold: a comparison with the effect of chitosan. Phytopathology 94:693–705

    Article  PubMed  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 

  • Bowers JH, Parke JL (1993) Colonization of pea (Pisum sativum) taproots by Pseudomonas Xuorescens: effect of soil temperature and bacterial mobility. Soil Biol Biochem 25:1693–1701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks DS, Gonzales CF, Apple DN, Filer TH (1994) Evaluvation of endophytic bacteria as potential biological control agents for oak wilt. Biol Control 4:373–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaurasia B, Pandey A, Palni LMS, Trivedi P, Kumar B, Colvin N (2005) Diffusible and volatile compounds produced by an antagonistic Bacillus subtilis strain cause structural deformations in pathogenic fungi in-vitro. Microbiol Res 160:75–81

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Compant S, Duffy B, Nowak J, Clement C, Barka EA (2005) Use of plant growth-promoting bacterial for biocontrol of plant diseases: principles, mechanism of actions, and future prospects. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:4951–4959

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cornelis P, Matthijs S (2002) Diversity of siderophore-mediated iron uptake systems in fluorescent pseudomonads: not only pyoverdines. Environ Microbiol 4:787–798

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Weger LA, Bakker PAHM, Schippers B, van Loosdrecht MCM, Lugtenberg B (1989) Pseudomonas spp. with mutational changes in the O-antigenic side chain of their lipopolysaccharides are affected in their ability to colonize potato roots. In: Lugtenberg BJJ (ed) Signal molecules in plant-microbe interactions. Springer, Berlin, pp 197–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Defago G (1993) 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol, a promising compound in biocontrol. Plant Pathol 42:311–312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dekkers LC, van der Bij AJ, Mulders IHM, Phoelich CC, Wentwoord RAR, Glandorf DCM, Wijffelman CA, Lugtenberg BJJ (1998) Role of the O-antigen of lipopolysaccheride, and possible roles of growth rate and of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (nuo) in competitive tomato root-tip colonization by Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS365. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 11:763–771

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorr J, Hurek T, Reinhold-Hurek B (1998) Type IV pili are involved in plant-microbe and fungus-microbe interactions. Mol Microbiol 30:7–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy BK (2001) Competeion. In: Maloy OC, Murray TD (eds) Encyclopedia of plant pathology. Wiley, New York, pp 243–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Duffy BK, Defago G (1999) Environmental factors modulating antibiotic and siderophore biosynthesis by Pseudomonas fluorescens biocontrol strains. Appl Environ Microbiol 65:2429–2438

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy BK, Defago G (2000) Controlling instability in gacS-gacA regulatory genes during inoculum production of Pseudomonas fluorescens bicontrol strains. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:3142–3150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elad Y, Baker R (1985) Influence of trace amounts of cations and siderophore-producing pseudomonads on chlamydospore germination of Fusarium oxysporum. Ecol Epidemiol 75:1047–1052

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Khawas H, Adachi K (1999) Identification and quantification of auxins in culture media of Azospirillum and Klebsiella and their effect on rice roots. Biol Fertil Soils 28:377–381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankowski J, Lorito M, Scala F, Schmidt R, Berg G, Bahl H (2001) Purification and properties of two chitinolytic enzymes of Serratia plymuthica HRO-C48. Arch Microbiol 176:421–426

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gammack SM, Paterson E, Kemp JS, Cresser MS, Killhan K (1992) Factors affecting the movement of microorganisms in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 7:263–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerhardson B (2002) Biological substitutes for pesticides. Trends Biotechnol 20:338–343

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray EJ, Smith DL (2005) Intracellular and extracellular PGPR: commonalities and distinctions in the plant–bacterium signaling processes. Soil Biol Biochem 37:395–412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haas D, Keel C (2003) Regulation of antibiotic production in root colonizing Pseudomonas spp. and relevance for biological control of plant disease. Annu Rev Phytopathol 41:117–153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howell CR, Beier RC, Stipanovic RD (1988) Production of ammonia by Enterobacter cloacae and its possible role in the biological control of Pythium pre-emergence damping-off by the bacterium. Phytopathology 78:1075–1078

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iavicoli A, Boutet E, Buchala A, Métraux JP (2003) Induced systemic resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana in response to root inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 16:851–858

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam TM, Hashidoko Y, Deora A, Ito T, Tahara S (2005) Suppression of damping-off disease in host plants by the rhizoplane bacterium Lysobacter sp. strain SB-K88 is linked to plant colonization and antibiosis against soilborne peronosporomycetes. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:3786–3796

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaleel CA, Manivannan P, Sankar B, Kishorekumar A, Gopi R, Somasundaram R, Paneerselvam R (2007) Pseudomonas fluorescens enhances biomass yield and ajmalicine production in Catharanthus roseus under water deficit stress. Colloid Surface B 60:7–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeun YC, Park KS, Kim CH, Fowler WD, Kloepper JW (2004) Cytological observations of cucumber plants during induced resistance elicited by rhizobacteria. Biol Control 29:34–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joe MM, Jaleel CA, Sivakumar PK, Zhao C, Karthikeyan B (2009) Co-aggregation in Azospirillum brasilensense MTCC-125 with other PGPR strains: Effect of physical and chemical factors and stress endurance ability. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 40:491–499

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kai M, Effmert U, Berg G, Piechulla B (2007) Volatiles of bacterial antagonists inhibit mycelial growth of the plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. Arch Microbiol 187:351–360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilic-Ekici O, Yuen GY (2003) Induced resistance as a mechanisms of biological control by Lysobacter enzymogenes strain C3. Phytopathology 93:1103–1110

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim BS, Moon SS, Hwang BK (1999) Isolation, identification and antifungal activity of a macrolide antibiotic, oligomycin A, produced by Streptomyces libani. Can J Bot 77:850–858

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kloepper JW, Leong J, Teintze M, Schroth MN (1980) Pseudomonas siderophores: a mechanism explaining disease suppression in soils. Curr Microbiol 4:317–320

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kojic M, Degrassi G, Venturi V (1999) Cloning and characterization of the rpoS gene from the plant growth-promoting Pseudomonas putida WCS358: RpoS is not involved in siderophore and homoserine lactone production. Biochim Biophys Acta 1489:413–420

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koumoutsi A, Chen XH, Henne A, Liesegang H, Gabriele H, Franke P, Vater J, Borris R (2004) Structural and functional characterization of gene clusters directing nonribosomal synthesis of bioactive lipopeptides in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB42. J Bacteriol 186:1084–1096

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lafontaine PJ, Benhamou N (1996) Chitosan treatment: an emerging strategy for enhancing resistance of greenhouse tomato to infection by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radici-lycopersici. Biocontrol Sci Technol 6:111–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leclere V, Bechet M, Adam A, Guez JS, Wathelet B, Ongena M, Thonart P, Gancel F, Chollet-Imbert M, Jacques P (2005) Mycosubtilin overproduction by Bacillus subtilis BBG100 enhances the organism’s antagonistic and biocontrol activities. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:4577–4584

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee KJ, Kamala-Kannan S, Sub HS, Seong CK, Lee GW (2008) Biological control of Phytophthora blight in red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) using Bacillus subtilis. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 24:1139–1145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leeman M, Van Pelt JA, Den Ouden FM, Heinbroek M, Bakker PAHM (1995) Induction of systemic resistance by Pseudomonas fluorescens in radish cultivars differing in susceptibility to Fusarium wilt, using novel bioassay. Eur J Plant Pathol 101:655–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim HS, Kim YS, Kim SD (1991) Pseudomonas stutzeri YPL-1 genetic transformation and antifungal mechanism against Fusarium solani, an agent of plant root rot. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:510–516

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay WL (1979) Chemical equilibria in soils. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Loper JE, Henkels MD (1999) Utilization of heterologous siderophores enhances levels of iron available to Pseudomonas putida in the rhizosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol 65:5357–5363

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meziane H, Van der Sluis I, Van Loon LC, Hofte M, Bakker PAHM (2005) Determinants of Pseudomonas putida WCS358 involved in inducing systemic resistance in plants. Mol Plant Pathol 6:177–185

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milner JL, Raffel SJ, Lethbridge BJ, Handelsman J (1995) Culture conditions that influence accumulation of zwittermicin A by Bacillus cereus UW85. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 43:685–691

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milner JL, Silo-Suh L, Lee JC, He H, Clardy J, Handelsman J (1996) Production of kanosamine by Bacillus cereus UW85. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:3061–3065

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moyne AL, Shelby R, Cleveland TE, Tuzun S (2001) Bacillomycin D: an iturin with antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus. J Appl Microbiol 90:622–629

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen TH, Sorensen J (2003) Production of cyclic lipopeptides by Pseudomonas fluorescens strains in bulk soil and in the sugar beet rhizosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:861–868

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ongena M, Duby F, Rossignol F, Fouconnier ML, Dommes J, Thonart P (2004) Stimulation of the lipoxygenase pathway is associated with systemic resistance induced in bean by a nonpathogenic Pseudomonas strain. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 17:1009–1018

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ongena M, Jourdan E, Schafer M, Kech C, Budzikiewicz H, Luxen A, Thonart P (2005) Isolation of an N-alkylated benzylamine derivative from Pseudomonas putida BTP1 as elicitor of induced systemic resistance in bean. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 18:562–569

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park KS, Kloepper JW (2000) Activation of PR-1a promoter by rhizobacteria which induce systemic resistance in tobacco against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci. Biol Control 18:2–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paulitz TC, Belanger RR (2001) Biological control in greenhouse systems. Annu Rev Phytopathol 39:103–133

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Picard C, Di Cello F, Ventura M, Fani R, Guckert A (2000) Frequency and biodiversity of 2, 4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing bacteria isolated from the maize rhizosphere at different stages of plant growth. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:948–955

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pierson LS, Wood DW, Pierson EA (1998) Homoserine lactone mediated gene regulation in plant-associated bacteria. Annu Rev Phytopathol 36:207–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Press CM, Loper JE, Kloepper JW (2001) Role of iron in rhizobacteria mediated induced systemic resistance of cucumber. Phytopathology 91:593–598

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raaijmakers JM, Vlami M, de Souza JT (2002) Antibiotic production by bacterial biocontrol agents. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 81:537–547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramamoorthy V, Viswanathan R, Raguchander T, Prakasam V, Smaiyappan R (2001) Induction of systemic resistance by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in crop plants against pests and diseases. Crop Prot 20:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ravel J, Cornelis P (2003) Genomics of pyoverdine-mediated iron uptake in pseudomonads. Trends Microbiol 11:195–200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robison HL, Schwartz CC, Petty JD, Brussard PF (2006) Assessment of pesticide residues in army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaries) from the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and their potential consequences to foraging grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). Chemosphere 64:1704–1712

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rovira AD (1965) Interactions between plant roots and soil microorganisms. Annu Rev Microbiol 19:241–266

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan PR, Delhaize E, Jones DL (2001) Function and mechanism of organic anion exudation from plant roots. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 52:527–560

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryu CM, Farag MA, Hu CH, Reddy MS, Wei HX, Pare PW, Kloepper JW (2003) Bacterial volatiles promote growth in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100:4927–4932

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryu CM, Farag MA, Hu CH, Reddy MS, Kloepper JW, Pare PW (2004) Bacterial volatiles induce systemic resistance in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 134:1017–1026

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saleh SS, Glick BR (2001) Involvement of gacS and rpoS in enhancement of the plant growth promoting capabilities of Enterobacter cloacae CAL2 and UW4. Can J Microbiol 47:698–705

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schnider-Keel U, Seematter A, Maurhofer M, Blumer C, Duffy B, Gigot-Bonnefoy C, Reimmann C, Notz R, Defago G, Haas D, Keel C (2000) Autoinduction of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol biosynthesis in the biocontrol agent Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 and repression by the bacterial metabolites salicylate and pyoluteorin. J Bacteriol 182:1215–1225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shanahan P, O’Sullivan DJ, Simpson P, Glennon JD, O’Gara F (1992) Isolation of 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol from a fluorescent pseudomonad and investigation of physio-logical parameters influencing its production. Appl Environ Microbiol 58:353–358

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silo-Suh L, Lethbridge B, Raffel SJ, He H, Clardy J, Handelsman J (1994) Biological activities of two fungistatic antibiotics produced by Bacillus cereus UW85. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:2023–2030

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh PP, Shin YC, Park CS, Chung YR (1999) Biological control of Fusarium wilt of cucumber by chitinolytic bacteria. Phytopathology 89:92–99

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sivan A, Chet I (1989) Degredation of fungal cell walls by lytic enzymes of Trichoderma harzianum. J Gen Microbiol 135:675–682

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KP, Havey MJ, Handelsman J (1993) Suppression of cottony leak of cucumber with Bacillus cereus strain UW85. Plant Dis 77:139–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steenhoudt O, Vanderleyden J (2000) Azospirillum, a free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium closely associated with grasses: genetic, biochemical and ecological aspects. FEMS Microbiol Rev 24:487–506

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strom MS, Lory S (1993) Structure-function and biogenesis of the type IV pili. Annu Rev Microbiol 30:565–596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomashow LS, Weller DM (1996) Current concepts in the use of introduced bacteria for biological disease control: mechanisms and antifungal metabolites. In: Stacey G, Keen NT (eds) Plant-microbe interactions, vol 1. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 187–236

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Thomashow LS, Weller DM, Bonsall RF, Pierson LS (1990) Production of the antibiotic phenazine-1-carboxylic acid by fluorescent pseudomonas in the rhizosphere of wheat. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:908–912

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toyoda H, Utsumi R (1991) Method for the prevention of Fusarium diseases and microorganisms used for the same. US patent 4,988,586

    Google Scholar 

  • Toyoda H, Hashimoto H, Utsumi R, Kobayashi H, Ouchi S (1988) Detoxification of fusaric acid by a fusaric acid-resistant mutant of Pseudomonas solanacearum and its application to biological control of Fusarium wilt of tomato. Phytopathology 78:1307–1311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Wees SCM, Pieterse CMJ, Trijssenaar A, Van’t Westende Y, Hartog F (1997) Differential induction of systemic resistance in Arabidopsis by biocontrol bacteria. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 10:716–724

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Voisard C, Keel C, Haas D, Defago G (1989) Cyanide production by Pseudomonas fluorescens helps suppress black root of tobacco under gnotobiotic conditions. EMBO J 8:351–358

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilhite SE, Lumsden RD, Strancy DC (2001) Peptide synthetase gene in Trichoderma virens. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:5055–5062

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Birch RG (1996) Biocontrol of sugar cane leaf scald disease by an isolate of Pantoea dispersa which detoxifies albicidin phytotoxins. Lett Appl Microbiol 22:132–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Birch RG (1997) The gene for albicidin detoxification from Pantoea dispersa encodes an esterase and attenuates pathogenicity of Xanthomonas albilineans to sugarcane. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:9984–9989

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kamala-Kannan Seralathan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lee, KJ., Oh, BT., Seralathan, KK. (2013). Advances in Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Biological Control of Plant Diseases. In: Maheshwari, D. (eds) Bacteria in Agrobiology: Disease Management. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33639-3_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics