Cotton lectin and rhizosphere competence of Trichoderma spp.

摘要

The present method for assessment of rhizosphere competence of a biocontrol agent is largely based on diluting and plating. It generally gives good results, but is not suitable for competence evaluation of a large number of candidate microbes. Rhizosphere competence of saprophytic pseudomonads was found to be related to their agglutinations by host plant lectins. This paper reports such a relationship between the agglutination of Trichoderma spp. by cotton lectin and their competence in the cotton rhizosphere.