![Sample our Environment & Agriculture journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5934/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Agriculture.jpg"})
Abstract
The experiments reported here were designed to examine the effects of iron on the procaryotic and eucaryotic microbial inhibitory activities of fluorescent, plant‐associated pseudomonads. A numerical analysis which included data on 113 characters of 176 bacterial strains served as the foundation on which the strain specific iron induced changes in inhibition were examined. Siderophore production affects both bacteriocin typing and production of fungistatic zones of inhibition in this group of bacteria.
Antibiosis directed towards the eucaryotic organisms, Geotrichum candidum, Ceratocystis ulmi and a Rhodotorula species increases for most pseudomonad strains on media containing iron; moreover, we believe this to be the first report of strains exhibiting fungicidal activity which produce greater zones of inhibition in the presence of iron. The nature of these antibiotics is discussed in relation to the possible commonality to known antibiotics and plant toxins. The results lead to the speculation that the iron status of plants and the ability of a pathogen to acquire iron may significantly affect the progression of some bacterial and fungal plant diseases and other microbial‐plant interactions.