Suppression of Major and Minor Pathogens by Fluorescent Pseudomonads in Solarized and Nonsolarized Soils

Abstract

Strains of fluorescent pseudomonads increased the growth of tomato plants in nonsolarized soil but not in solarized soil. Vital staining showed that fluorescent pseudomonads colonize the root cortex and, apparently, internally colonize the younger lateral roots of artificially inoculated plants growing in nonsolarized soil. The minor pathogen Penicillium pinophilum caused growth retardation of tomato and cotton plants. It colonized tomato roots in nonsolarized, methyl bromide-fumigated, and solarized soils (to a much lesser extent). Inoculation of tomato roots with fluorescent pseudomonads or transplanting tomato roots to solarized soil suppressed colonization by Penicillium pinophilum and nullified plant-growth retardation []