In planta screening of chili roots’ endophyte bacteria to control bacterial wilt disease

Abstract

Bacterial wilt is an important disease of chili. This disease cause by Ralstonia syzygii subsp. indonesiensis. This pathogen causing plant death and up to 100% yield loss. The economical impact due to this pathogen problem, even though this pathogen had been controlled. Bacterial Endophyte usage which are one of biological control strategy were one of the considered alternative method which are also compatible with sustainable agriculture program. This study objected to obtain the endophyte bacteria strains from healthy roots of chili that had ability to control bacterial wilt and promote growth and yields. Bacterial endophytes were isolated from the roots of healthy chili plants at the bacterial wilt disease endemic area in West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The screening methods used in this study were in planta technique which the approach was focused on indirect mechanism (induced systemic resistance). Among the 14 of 16 endophyte bacteria strains were found to had ability to control bacterial wilt on chili without any symptoms appear (100%). We have found three bacterial endophyte strains (SLBE.3.1.BB7, SLBE.3.1.AP3 and AGBE4.1.TL5, which have multiple traits as biocontrol of bacterial wilt disease and as growth promotor and yields of chili.