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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279719
Title: Resident bacteria of plums and their potential for controlling brown rot after harvest

Author
item Janisiewicz, Wojciech
item Jurick, Wayne
item VICO, IVANA - University Of Zagreb
item Peter, Kari
item Buyer, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2012
Publication Date: 4/8/2012
Citation: Janisiewicz, W.J., Jurick Ii, W.M., Vico, I., Peter, K.A., Buyer, J.S. 2012. Resident bacteria of plums and their potential for controlling brown rot after harvest [abstract]. Phytopathology. p. 45.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fruit microflora has been the richest source of antagonists against fruit decays and the active ingredient in all currently available commercial biocontrol products. A comprehensive evaluation of plum bacteria for biocontrol activity against Monilinia fructicola, causing brown rot of stone fruit, would allow us to determine their biocontrol potential. We characterized resident culturable bacterial microflora of plum fruit from early development until maturity. The most dominant genera were Curtobacterium (19.88 percent), Pseudomonas (15.06 percent), Microbacterium (13.86 percent), and Clavibacter (12.65 percent). These genera occurred at all four isolation times and accounted for 61.45 percent of all isolates. Microbacterium and Curtobacterium dominated at the early stage of fruit development while Pseudomonas and Clavibacter were dominant at the end of the season. Less prevalent genera were Enterobacter (5.42 percent), Chrysomonas (4.82 percent), and Pantoea (4.22 percent). Most frequently isolated species were Microbacterium lacticum, Clavibacter michiganensis, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, Enterobacter intermedius, and Chrysomonas luteola. The seasonal succession of genera was observed in both MANOVA and frequency analysis. Primary and secondary screening of plum bacteria for control of brown rot on wounded fruit resulted in selection of several antagonists from which Pantonea agglomerans, Chryseomonas luteola and Citrobacter freundii were the most effective.