ASSESSMENT OF ANTAGONISTIC POTENTIAL OF BACTERIA AS BIOCONTROL AGENT AGAINST ALTERNARIA LEAF SPOT OF TURNIP

Authors:
  • ISInsha Saeed
    Insha Saeed
  • ARAbdul Rasheed
    Abdul Rasheed
  • MJMuhammad M. Jahangir
    Muhammad M. Jahangir
  • AJAbdul Jabbar
    Abdul Jabbar
  • HSHafiz M.F. Shaheen
    Hafiz M.F. Shaheen
  • WDWasi U. Din
    Wasi U. Din
  • KMKomal Mazhar
    Komal Mazhar

Abstract
Alternaria leaf spot is a severe disease of turnip which produces necrotic spots on leaves. In the current study, six varieties of turnip were tested against this pathogen to check their susceptibility. Among these, purple gold variety was moderately susceptible on which three antagonistic bacteria i.e. Bacillus subtilis, Streptomyces hydrogenans and Pseudomonas flourescene were evaluated against Alternaria brassicocola with three different concentrations 2, 3 and 5%. Among these B. subtilis gave best control with 23.852% disease incidence followed by Streptomyces hydrogenans (22.183%), Pseudomonas flourescene (21.742%) as compare to control. The pure sample was further used for dual culture technique and the inhibition zone technique against target pathogen. Results from the dual culture test exhibited that all the antagonistic bacteria repressed mycelial progress of pathogenic fungus but B. subtilis effectively reduced the development of fungi within 7 days with difference of 3.1Cm; Streptomyces hydrogenans inhibited the growth within 12 days of incubation with difference of 2.9Cm while Pseudomonas flourescene was also shown competitive effect but inhibit the growth after 15 days of incubation with difference of 1.12Cm. In case of inhibition zone technique three antagonistic bacteria with three different concentrations of 2, 3 and 5mL were effectively used against A. brassicocola. Among these three antagonistic bacterial isolates B. subtilis significantly exhibited the strongest antagonism against A. brassicocola with 2mL concentration followed by Streptomyces hydrogenans and Pseudomonas flourescene. A distinct inhibition zone of each treatment was measured. However, B. subtilis (2.8190Cm) gave a significantly greater diameter of inhibition zone than S. hydrogenans (2.8095) and P. flourescene (2.5048) after seven days of incubation respectively. Data were examined statistically to certify usefulness of bacterial antagonists against Alternaria brassicocola.