Antifungal Activity of Bacteria on Phylloplane of Tomato

Abstract

A wide array of bacterial and microfungal species possess features, like secretion of metabolic compounds or toxins that help them in interaction with each other or suppression of their growth. In the present study, bacteria were isolated from the phylloplane of Lycopersicum esculentum, to evaluate their antifungal properties tested against microfungal species isolated from the same habitat. Bacterial and fungal isolates were obtained by the leaf imprint technique and pure cultures were made on nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar at 35±1°C and 25±1°C, respectively. The antagonistic activity was tested by dual culture assay. It was found that the growth of Rhizoctonia solani, Alternaria alternata, A. citrifolia, Penicillium expansum, Fusarium oxysporum, Cladosporium herbarum, C. cladosporioides, Curvularia lunata, Aspergillus flavus and A. candidus was inhibited by Pseudomonas koreensis, P. stutzeri, Sphingobacterium daejeonense and Klebsiella pneumonea.