Rs. Upadhyay et Rk. Jayaswal, PSEUDOMONAS-CEPACIA CAUSES MYCELIAL DEFORMITIES AND INHIBITION OF CONIDIATION IN PHYTOPATHOGENIC FUNGI, Current microbiology, 24(4), 1992, pp. 181-187
Pseudomonas cepacia, a common soil and rhizosphere inhabitant, showed
strong antagonism against several fungal plant pathogens. In dual cult
ures it greatly restricted the growth and conidial formation in severa
l of these fungi. Growth restriction was associated with the frequent
induction of a variety of morphological abnormalities such as chlamydo
conidium formation, hyphal swellings, vacuolation and granulation of t
he mycelial contents, as well as lysis of hyphae and conidia. The indu
ction of these deleterious morphological changes in fungi and inhibiti
on of conidial formation were also found with a crude preparation of a
n antifungal compound from P. cepacia. Mutants, defective in the produ
ction of this antifungal compound, failed to induce these morphologica
l changes; this suggests that the antifungal compound is responsible f
or these abnormalities.