Abstract

The use of biosurfactants is a promising alternative in biological control of zoospore-producing oomycetes, which are a major plant pathogen world-wide in a wide variety of crops. Oomycetes are of particular concern in closed hydroponic cultivation systems. The present study investigated the efficacy of a biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas koreensis and added as a crude extract against the oomycete Pythium ultimum in hydroponic tomato cultivation. A significant reduction in disease was observed. Biosurfactant addition did not affect the indigenous root microflora when evaluated as sole carbon source utilisation. Chemical analysis, using electrospray hybrid mass spectrometry (ESI-MSMS), of the biosurfactant indicated it to be lokisin, a cyclic lipopeptide. These results confirm that biosurfactants are important in developing sustainable biological control strategies for oomycetes.

Keywords

Biological control; hydroponics; lokisin; oomycetes; Pseudomonas koreensis; Pythium ultimum

Published in

BioControl
2010, Volume: 55, number: 3, pages: 435-444
Publisher: Springer

SLU Authors

• Hultberg, Malin

  • Horticulture, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Khalil, Samar

  • Horticulture, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Alsanius, Beatrix

  • Horticulture, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Horticulture


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9261-6

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/29399