Plant pathogen biocontrol potential of Pseudomonas strains isolated from Chilean wild flora.
Miryam Valenzuela: Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria
<div>Chilean microbial biodiversity is widely unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocontrol potential of <em>Pseudomonas</em> strains, isolated from Chilean non-disturbed ecosystems and from agricultural crops against plant pathogens. Diverse isolates were collected from the rhizosphere of wild flora in different regions of Chile. Eight isolates were identified as <em>Pseudomonas</em> using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In order to determine their potential as biocontrol agents, antimicrobial assays were carried out against <em>Clavibacter michiganensis</em> subsp. <em>michiganensis</em>, <em>Pseudomonas syringae </em>pv. <em>syringae</em>, <em>Pectobacterium carotovorum</em>, <em>Phytophthora cinnamomi</em> and <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>. Two of the isolates showed high inhibition against all these plant pathogens. In the case of <em>C. michiganensis</em> subsp. <em>michiganensis, </em>the antagonistic effect of strains isolated from wild flora, were compared with the effect of five antagonistic <em>Pseudomonas </em>strains isolated from tomato fields. Most of the <em>Pseudomonas</em> isolates collected from wild flora showed higher antagonistic effect against <em>C. michiganensis</em> subsp. <em>michiganensis </em>compared with those isolates collected from tomato plants. This study demonstrates the biotechnological potential of these bacteria isolated from non-disturbed ecosystems. <em>In planta</em> assays and additional beneficial properties of the strains will be evaluated.</p> <p> Acknowledgments: Conicyt PhD fellowships (PVC, MV), USM-PIIC (PVC, MV) FONDECYT 1151174 & 1110992 and USM (MS) grants.</div>
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