ศูนย์นวัตกรรมเทคโนโลยีหลังการเก็บเกี่ยว

Enterobacter cloacae is an endophytic symbiont of corn.

Hinton, D. M.; Bacon, C. W.;

Mycopathologia Year: 1995 Vol: 129 Issue: 2 Pages: 117-125 Ref: 35 ref.

1995

บทคัดย่อ

E. cloacae is presently used for biocontrol of postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables and as a preplant seed treatment for suppression of damping-off. This bacterium has apparent affinities for several grass species, but it is not considered to be an endophyte. While screening maize for fungi and bacteria with potential for biocontrol of various maize diseases, the surface-sterilized kernels of an unknown Italian maize cultivar produced fungus-free seedlings with roots endophytically infected by E. cloacae. The microscopic nature of E. cloacae RRC 101 with maize, and the in vitro control of Fusarium moniliforme [Gibberella fujikuroi] and other fungi with this bacterium are described. Light and EM determined that this isolate of E. cloacae was biologically associated with maize seedling roots, where it was distributed intercellularly within the cortex and stele. This is a first report of a strain of this bacterium as an endophytic symbiont of roots. Following topical application of E. cloa

cae to kernels this bacterium readily infected roots of 2 other maize cultivars upon germination. The bacterium was observed within the endosperm of germinating seedlings, but germination was not affected. E. cloacae was also isolated from leaves and stems of 3- to 6-week-old seedlings indicating that the above ground portions of maize were also colonized. There was no evidence of damage to cells of the roots during a 3-4 week observation period. E. cloacae was antagonistic to several isolates of G. fujikuroi and to 2 other species of fungi, all of which produce mycotoxins on maize.