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Distribution of bacterial stalk rot disease of maize in India and identification of causal agent using biochemical and fliC gene based marker and its sensitivity against chemicals and bacterial antagonist

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Abstract

Bacterial stalk rot (BSR) of maize is an emerging disease in Southern and Northern parts of India and infecting the crop at a significant level. A survey was conducted in16 districts of five maize growing states of India during kharif 2019–2021. The natural incidence of the BSR disease was observed with a range of 13.30–37.93%. Bacteria isolated on nutrient agar medium were yielded whitish cream coloured, shiny smooth with raised centre, and non-fluidal colonies. Sixteen isolates of bacteria produced dark brownish indigoidine pigment on NGM medium. Pathogenicity of all the bacterial isolates was tested on susceptible maize cv. CM 600 and produced typical symptoms of the disease on the host. Biochemical characterization and carbon utilization tests of these isolates were done using sets of 25 biochemical and carbon utilization test specific to Enterobacteriaceae. The isolates were positive for nitrate reduction, H2S production, citrate utilization, indole, Voges Proskauer’s and malonate utilization test and utilized eight different carbon sources such as arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, cellobiose, melibiose, sacharose, raffinose. A pair of fliC gene based primer, specific to Dickeya zeae was designed to identify the pathogen and these isolates were amplified at 230 bp. The bacterium associated with stalk rot of maize was confirmed as D. zeae based on results of all investigation carried out. Sensitivity of antibiotics, fungicides and four bacterial antagonists were screened against two virulent isolates of D. zeae under in vitro conditions. Streptocycline inhibited maximum growth of D. zeae at all tested concentrations than other antibiotics and fungicides. Among all tested bio-control agents such as Bacillus subtilis DTBS-5, B. amyloliquefaciens DSBA-11, Pseudomonas fluorescens DTPF-3 and P. fluorescens DCPF-5, maximum area of inhibition zone was displayed by B. amyloliquefaciens DSBA- 11 under in vitro conditions.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the Head, Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi for continuous support and encouragement to conduct various experiments.

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  1. Rajender Jatoth

    Present address: Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Dinesh Singh, Neelam Geat, P. Lokesh Babu & Amit Kumar Kesharwani

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  1. Rajender Jatoth
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  2. Dinesh Singh
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Jatoth, R., Singh, D., Geat, N. et al. Distribution of bacterial stalk rot disease of maize in India and identification of causal agent using biochemical and fliC gene based marker and its sensitivity against chemicals and bacterial antagonist. Indian Phytopathology 75, 517–525 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-021-00455-8

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