Rp. Larkin et al., SUPPRESSION OF FUSARIUM-WILT OF WATERMELON BY NONPATHOGENIC FUSARIUM-OXYSPORUM AND OTHER MICROORGANISMS RECOVERED FROM A DISEASE-SUPPRESSIVE SOIL, Phytopathology, 86(8), 1996, pp. 812-819
Nearly 400 microorganism isolates, including bacteria, actinomycetes,
and fungi, were collected from watermelon roots growing in soils suppr
essive and nonsuppressive to Fusarium wilt of watermelon. These isolat
es were screened for their ability to restore suppressiveness to micro
wave-treated suppressive soil and to reduce disease incidence in condu
cive field soil. Specific isolates of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum
from suppressive soil were the only organisms consistently effective
in reducing disease (35 to 75% reduction) in both microwave-treated an
d natural field soils. Thus, we concluded that F. oxysporum was the pr
imary antagonist responsible for suppression in this suppressive soil,
although other organisms may contribute to suppressiveness. Selected
isolates of F. oxysporum were effective in reducing disease when added
to field soils at inoculum levels as low as 50 to 100 chlamydospores
per g of soil, which was comparable to or below pathogen inoculum leve
ls (100 to 200 CFU/g of soil). Root colonization data indicated that r
eduction of disease was not directly related to the ability of the ant
agonist to colonize roots extensively or to reduce colonization by the
pathogen. Effective antagonists were not associated with specific veg
etative compatibility groups, indicating antagonists represent diverse
isolates. In split-root experiments, in which the antagonist and the
pathogen were physically separated from each other, root colonization
by selected isolates of F. oxysporum reduced disease incidence, verify
ing the mechanism of action as induced systemic resistance. Several is
olates of F. oxysporum from this suppressive soil have potential for d
evelopment as biocontrol agents.