Method for protecting the growth of plants employing mutant siderophore producing strains of Pseudomonas Putida

摘要

Plants susceptible to pathogenic fungi are contacted with a mutant strain of Pseudomonas putida, particularly Pseudomonas putida NRRL- B- 12537 which produces iron complexing siderophores thereby affording protection from the fungi. The Pseudomonas competes with the fungi for iron found in the soil thereby inhibiting the fungi growth. The method is particularly effective in controlling Fusarium oxysporum Sp lycopersici on tomato plants.