The influence ofBacillus subtilisRB14-C on the development ofRhizoctonia solaniand indigenous microorganisms in the soil

Abstract

The effect of soil inoculation with an antagonistic strain Bacillus subtilis RB14-C on the development of Rhizoctonia solani and changes occurring in soil and rhizosphere microbial communities were studied. RB14-C was added to the soil as a water suspension of the cells or as a broth culture. Application of cell suspensions to non-planted soil reduced the number of culturable bacteria. The density of R. solani and the number of filamentous fungi were not significantly affected by RB14-C. A similar effect was observed in the rhizosphere of tomato plants growns in bacterized soil. Broth cultures of RB14-C suppressed R. solani 1 d after inoculation, but after 3 d there was no difference in the pathogen density between soil amended with broth culture and control soil. In microcosm studies, cell suspensions of RB14-C also did not inhibit growth of R. solani on filters buried in soil. However, an inhibitory effect was obtained when a broth culture of the bacterium was used. The effect of RB14-C on fungal biomass was also estimated by measurement of ergosterol concentration in soil. It was found that ergosterol was mostly derived from R. solani and that there were no significant differences in its content between untreated soil and soil treated with RB14-C. The results suggest that suppression of Rhizoctonia damping-off by B. subtilis RB14-C probably is not related to the reduction of the pathogen population in the soil.