Root bacterial endophytes as potential biological control agents against fungal rice pathogens

Abstract

The present work was carried out to investigate the potential of 100 rice endophytic bacteria for the biocontrol of five fungal rice pathogens in a controlled environment. As well as, isolates with antagonistic activity were also characterized in terms of production of some plant growth promoting (PGP) traits. Twenty-three isolates repressed the mycelial growth of some fungal rice pathogens (70–96% inhibition). The results illustrated that production ability of PGP traits was different among biocontrol isolates. Higher % of the isolates was positive for generation of ACC deaminase, IAA, and activity of cellulase and pectinase. The effective isolate was identified as Bacillus cereus. This strain also colonized root of rice seedlings and increased root fresh weight (31.4%) and shoot dry weight (28.2%) in vitro. These results showed that endorhiza of rice harbors effective antagonistic bacteria with multiple PGP traits which can be used as a potent biocontrol or biopromoting agent in rice plant.