Nutritional Requirement for Production of Antifungal Substance by Enterobacter aerogenes and Bacillus subtilis Antagonists of Phytophthora cactorum1

Abstract

AbstractAnker's medium with glucose and Thornton's medium were most suitable for growing Enterobacter aerogenes and Bacillus subtilis respectively, antagonists of P. cactorum, the causal agent of apple crown rot. Calcium nitrate was thebest source of nitrogen for growing cultures of E. aerogenes and B. subtilis. E. aerogenes produced the maximum amount of antifungal substance at 200 and 400 mg/l of nitrogen in the medium. Phosphate supplied either in the potassium or calcium form did not change the growth of either antagonist. An addition of 200 mg/l of N and 400 mg/l of P significantly enhanced the production of antifungal substance by E. aerogenes on Anker's medium with glucose. Thornton's medium supplemented with 200 mg/l of N and 100 mg/l of P produced the maximum amount of antifungal substance from B. subtilis. Generally, soil extracts without enrichment did not support the growth of either antagonist; E. aerogenes required at least 400 mg/lof, both N and P while B. subtilis required 200 mg/l of N and 800 mg/l of P for the maximum production of antifungal substance. When ammonium phosphate was added to soil extracts, only a small amount of antifungal substance was produced by E. aerogenes and none by B. subtilis. These results indicate that E. aerogenes and B. subtilis need N and P fertilization of the sterilized soil for the maximum production of the antifungal substance that inhibits the growth of P. cactorum.