Open AccessISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIAL ANTAGONISTS OF THE DRAGON FRUIT FUNGAL PATHOGEN Neoscytalidium dimidiatum
Author(s) -
Nguyen Ngoc An,
Hua Huynh Minh Thao,
Ho Nguyen Hoang Yen,
Nguyen Thi Dieu Hanh,
Nguyen Le Hien Hoa,
Tran Thi Thanh Tien,
Bui Thi Luyen,
TanViet Pham
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
khoa học và công nghệ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2525-2267
DOI - 10.46242/jst-iuh.v44i02.1036
Subject(s) - biology , bacillus amyloliquefaciens , spore germination , biological pest control , bacillus (shape) , spore , isolation (microbiology) , pathogen , microbiology and biotechnology , mycelium , antibiosis , bacteria , horticulture , genetics
Dragon fruit or pitahaya (Hylocereus spp.) are famous for their nutrient-rich favourable taste, which brings high economic value to subtropical and tropical countries. However, dragon fruit cultivation all over the world is threatened by fungal pathogens and among them, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum has recently been shown to be responsible for stem canker and fruit rot which cause big economic losses. In order to find an environmentally friendly way to control this pathogen, five out of sixty-nine bacterial isolates used in a screening test for antifungal activity were selected. All five strains appeared to be aerobic Gram positive spore forming bacteria suggesting that they all belong to the Bacillus genus. Cell-free culture supernatants of these strains were found to strongly inhibit both fungal spore germination and mycelia growth in vitro for at least 5 days. The strain D19 which possessed the highest antagonistic effect was further identified to be Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, a well-known species shown to have antifungal effect against several other pathogenic fungi. Thus, the results of this study opened a new promising perspective to prevent Neoscytalidium dimidiatum infection during cultivation of dragon fruit.