ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM THE RHIZOSPHERE OF ESTABLISHED TEA BUSHES

A large number of bacteria and fungi were isolated from the rhizospher e of established tea bushes, by serial dilution technique, over a peri od of one year. Fifty one of these bacterial isolates were tested for their antifungal activity against twelve test fungi, which included ni ne minor (saprophytes) and three major pathogens of tea. Following pre liminary screening, nine bacterial isolates were selected and their an tifungal activity was further investigated. Based on colony characteri stics, morphological & biochemical properties, a preliminary classific ation of these bacterial isolates has been carried out. Isolate no. 1 was tentatively identified as Bacillus mycoides; the remaining eight s trains which also appear close to the genus Bacillus, differed in thei r antagonistic reaction. The bacterial isolates exhibiting highest ant ifungal activity were also the most dominant bacterial species in the tea rhizosphere.