Abstract

AbstractFor field application of a bacterial strain used to controlPhythophthora capsici, we will need a biologically and economically efficient carrier medium. The known antagonistPaenibacillus ehimensisKWN38 was grown in a grass medium where it showed high antifungal and lytic enzyme activities. To demonstrate the potential ofP. ehimensisKWN38 for biocontrol of late blight disease in pepper, pot trials were conducted by treating the 1‐month‐old plants with water (W), a selected grass medium (G3),GplusP. ehimensisKWN38 inoculation (G3P) or synthetic fungicide (F). The shoot dry weight inG3Pwas higher than that inWandFtreatments at 15 days after zoospore infection (DZI). The root dry weight inG3Pwas also higher than that inW. The root mortality ofG3 andWincreased over 58 and 80% at 15 DZI, and some plants in those treatments wilted due to the failure of root physiology. The plants inG3PandFsurvived well because of their better root health conditions. Soil cellulase activity ofG3Pwas consistently higher than that ofWandFat earlier observation times (0, 2 and 6 DZI). The rootβ‐1,3‐glucanase activity ofG3Ppromptly increased to maximum shortly after zoospore infection and reached the maximum value of 51.12 unit g−1of fresh weight at 2 DZI. All these results indicate that inoculation ofP. ehimensisKWN38 to the root zone of potted pepper plants increases plant growth, root and soil enzyme activities and alleviates the root death caused by infection withP. capsicizoospores.

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