Isolation and Identification of Burkholderia pyrrocinia CH-67 to Control Tomato Leaf Mold and Damping-off on Crisphead Lettuce and Tomato

Abstract

A bacterial strain CH-67 which exhibits antagonism towards several plant pathogenic fungi such as Botrytis cinerea, Fulvia fulva, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Colletotrichum sp. and Phytophthora sp. was isolated from forest soil by a chitin-baiting method. This strain was identified as Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and belonging to genomovar IX (Burkholderia pyrrocinia) by colony morphology, biochemical traits and molecular method like 16S rRNA and recA gene analysis. This strain was used to develop a bio-fungicide for the control of tomato leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva. Various formulations of B. pyrrocinia CH-67 were prepared using fermentation cultures of the bacterium in rice oil medium. The result of pot experiments led to selection of the wettable powder formulation CH67-C containing modified starch as the best formulation for the control of tomato leaf mold. CH67-C, at 100-fold dilution, showed a control value of 85% against tomato leaf mold. Its disease control efficacy was not significantly different from that of the chemical fungicide triflumidazole. B. pyrrocinia CH-67 was also effective in controlling damping-off caused by Rhizoctonia solani PY-1 in crisphead lettuce and tomato plants. CH67-C formulation was recognized as a cell-free formulation since B. pyrrocinia CH-67 was all lethal during formulation process. This study provides an effective biocontrol formulation of biofungicide using B. pyrrocinia CH-67 to control tomato leaf mold and damping-off crisphead lettuce and tomato.