Evaluation of soil microorganisms with inhibitory activity against Rhizoctonia solani causal agent of the damping-off of canola.

Pre- and post-emergence damping-off of canola seedlings caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a serious disease in Western Canada. Other fungi such as Fusarium spp. and Pythium spp. are also related to seedling damping-off. To-day, the search of soil bacteria is becoming a tool to use microorganisms as potential biocontrol agents for several plant diseases. The purpose of this research was to detect bacteria to biologically control R. solani, Pythium spp., and Fusarium spp. Soil samples were collected throughout Alberta during 1987 to isolate bacteria. Canola seedlings were also used to obtain bacteria from the same samples. Plant pathogenic fungi were tested to detect the antagonistic activity of the isolates. Tests were made with coated canola seeds, amendments and fresh of freeze-dried cells. Three hundred forty-one bacterial cultures were isolated. Only 16 inhibited fungal growth: 7 showed the same effects against R. solani and 9 showed uneven effects. Some isolates showed a weak action to Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp. Three isolates showed inhibitory effect on R. solani and Pythium spp. Isolate F1 improved by about 50% the germination of canola seeds in inoculated pots when compared with the inoculated control. Coated seeds had low germination and emergence was below the inoculated control. The emergence of canola seedlings was very much improved when isolate 147 was delivered as an amendment in inoculated pots. Identification showed that 3 bacterial belonged to Bacillus spp., 4 to green fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and 2 were Streptomyces spp.