In vitro activity of Bacillus firmus against the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis, the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the stem nematode Ditylenchus dipsaci

Abstract

Antagonistic bacteria have been repeatedly shown to be promising microorganisms for the biological control of sedentary and migratory endoparasitic nematodes. Depending on the bacteria involved, the mechanisms of action include: obligate parasitism, reduction in penetration, growth inhibition due to competition for nutrients and antibiosis associated with bioactive metabolites. In the present studies, the mode of action of the antagonist bacteria Bacillus firmus, isolated from a bionematicide, was evaluated. Significant rates of paralysis and mortality were detected after incubation of three nematode species in low concentrations of the pure culture filtrates following removal of the bacterial cells. The same culture filtrates also significantly reduced hatching of Meloidogyne incognita. Pure bacterial cell suspensions added to sand also reduced survival of R. similis in bioassays by 41% over the controls. The mode-of-action responsible for nematode paralysis and mortality was therefore demonstrated to be closely associated with the production of bioactive compounds secondary metabolites by the bacteria.

Keywords:

• bacteria
• biological control
• culture filtrate
• mortality
• paralysis
• secondary metabolites

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD) in Germany, for funding this research through a Ph.D. scholarship. Minrav Infrastructures are acknowledged for providing product samples.