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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 #165282
Title: POSTHARVEST BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF LATE BLIGHT OF POTATOES

Author
item Slininger, Patricia - Pat
item Schisler, David
item KLEINKOPF, G - UNV IDAHO KIMBERLY

Submitted to: Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/29/2004
Publication Date: 7/29/2004
Citation: Slininger, P.J., Schisler, D.A., Kleinkopf, G. 2004. Postharvest biological control of late blight of potatoes [abstract]. Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting. Paper No. P4. p. 88.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Introduction of US-8 genotypes of Phytophthora infestans has coincided with an increase in severity of potato late blight in North America. As alternatives to chemical fungicides, 18 bacterial strains patented as biological control agents (BCA) of both sprouting and Fusarium dry rot were cultivated in liquid media and screened in wounded potato bioassays for their ability to suppress late blight incited by P. infestans (US-8, mating type A2). Stationary-phase bacteria were mixed with fungal zoospores to inoculate potato wounds with 5 microL containing ~108 bacterial CFU/mL and 2 x 104 zoospore count/mL. Disease suppressiveness was evaluated after tubers were stored 1 week at 15 deg C and 90% relative humidity. Several of the BCA treatments reduced late blight by 25 to 60% (including three strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens and one of Enterobacter cloacae). Larger-scale pilot testing of these four strains, alone and in combination, was conducted by spraying 0.8 mL of 4 x 104 P. infestans sporangia/mL followed by 0.8 mL of bacteria treatment at ~109 CFU/mL per each of 90 unwounded potatoes. Three replicate boxes per treatment (30 tubers per box) were randomized in storage and maintained at 7.2 deg C and 95% relative humidity for 4 weeks. All BCA treatments reduced disease. Disease suppression ranged from 35% (worst treatment) up to 86% (best) the first test year and from 35 to 91% the second year. Unwashed bacteria outperformed those washed free of culture broth.