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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315315

Title: Osmoprotectants and carriers for formulating co-cultures of Gram-negative biocontrol agents active against potato dry rot in storage

Author
item Schisler, David
item Slininger, Patricia - Pat
item OLSEN, N - University Of Idaho
item WOODELL, L - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2015
Publication Date: 8/5/2015
Citation: Schisler, D.A., Slininger, P.J., Olsen, N.L., Woodell, L.K. 2015. Osmoprotectants and carriers for formulating co-cultures of Gram-negative biocontrol agents active against potato dry rot in storage. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Pseudomonas fluorescens strains S11:P:12, P22:Y:05, and S22:T:04 suppress four important storage potato maladies; dry rot, late blight, pink rot, and sprouting. When grown as a three-strain co-culture, the efficacy and consistency of the strains are enhanced over blends of individually cultured strains. A dry formulation of these co-cultured strains is needed to develop a commercial biocontrol product. After 24 h of cell growth in a liquid medium and resuspension in a buffered solution, the survival of each component strain at 1 and 7 days after drying was enhanced by the presence of trehalose and fructose (P<0.05, FPLSD) and S11:P:12 cell survival was reduced compared to the other strains of the co-culture. Trehalose and fructose formulated co-cultures reduced dry rot by 74% and 25%, respectively. Cells survived drying better combined with the diatomaceous earth Kenite 700 compared to perlite (P<0.05) though populations of S11:P:12 and P22:Y:05 were less than S22:T:04. All treatment combinations of carrier and osmolyte reduced dry rot by 65-83% when applied to tubers seven days after co-cultured cells were dried. Results of a small pilot-scale trial testing dried co-cultured biocontrol products for efficacy in reducing dry rot on potatoes in storage will also be reported.