Bioactive metabolites involved in the microbiological control of tomato foot and root rot

摘要

The disease tomato foot and root rot (TFRR) is caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Forl). Application of some microbes, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens or Serratia plymuthica, can efficiently reduce the disease. The microbes can be applied by coating on the seeds or by drenching. Using studies with auto fluorescent proteins, we observed that the pathogen and the biocontrol bacteria occupy the same niches on the root surface. It was also observed that the Pseudomonas biocontrol strain, applied on the seed, reaches these niches earlier than the pathogen.