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Protection of Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus) Toward Fungal Pathogens by Strains of Plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

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Abstract

In this report, four Bacillus strains were tested for effects on plant fitness and disease protection of oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The strains belonged to newly discovered plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and a recently proposed species, Bacillus endophyticus. The fungal pathogens tested represented different infection strategies and included Alternaria brassicae, Botrytis cinerea, Leptosphaeria maculans, and Verticillium longisporum. The B. amyloliquefaciens strains showed no or a weak plant growth promoting activity, whereas the B. endophyticus strain had negative effects on the plant as revealed by phenological analysis. On the other hand, two of the B. amyloliquefaciens strains conferred protection of oilseed rape toward all pathogens tested. In vitro experiments studying the effects of Bacillus exudates on fungal growth showed clear growth inhibition in several but not all cases. The protective effects of Bacillus can therefore, at least in part, be explained by production of antibiotic substances, but other mechanisms must also be involved probably as a result of intricate plant–bacteria interaction. The protective effects observed for certain Bacillus strains make them highly interesting for further studies as biocontrol agents in Brassica cultivation.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from SLU-IMOP, Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse and Stiftelsen Oscar och Lili Lamms minne. We are grateful to Prof. Christina Dixelius and Gunilla Swärdh for provision of fungal strains and advice on cultivation and to Prof. Christina Dixelius for comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology and Forest Genetics, Genetics Center, Box 7080, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    Jesper Danielsson & Johan Meijer

  2. Zabolotnogo’s Institute of Microbiology and Virology, 154 Zabolotnogo Str., 03143, Kiev, Ukraine

    Oleg Reva

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  1. Jesper Danielsson
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  2. Oleg Reva
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  3. Johan Meijer
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Correspondence to Jesper Danielsson.

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Danielsson, J., Reva, O. & Meijer, J. Protection of Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus) Toward Fungal Pathogens by Strains of Plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens . Microb Ecol 54, 134–140 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9181-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9181-2

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