Hani M. A. Abdelzaher

Biological control of root rot of cauliflower (caused by Pythium ultimumvar. ultimum) using selected antagonistic rhizospheric strains of Bacillus subtilis

Abstract Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) with a root rot disease were found in a field in Kidwan village, 3 km south of El‐Minia city, Egypt, during January 2001. Cauliflower plants showed wilting soon after transplanting. In addition, cauliflower seedlings collected from the same field showed browning lesions at the basal part of the stem and the root system and eventually led to wilting. Examination of root pieces and other infected parts yielded only one type of fungus characteried as Pythium ultimum var. ultimum by its typically saclike monoclinous and diclinous antheridia and aplerotic oospores. P. ultimum var. ultimum was shown to be pathogenic on cauliflower under glasshouse conditions. This is the first report of P. ultimum var. ultimum causing disease to cauliflower in Egypt. Bacteria producing antibiotics against the root‐rot fungus Pythium ultimum var. ultimum were selected. Agar discs from rhizosphere soil of cauliflower containing colonies were transferred onto water agar plate culture of P. ultimum var. ultimum. After 2 days of incubation, colonies producing clear inhibition zones were readily detected. The two strongest antagonistic bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis. Subsequent plant growth experiments established that substantial disease control could be obtained by applying B. subtilis to the soil. Optimal control was obtained by mixing the bacteria with the soil rather than by dipping the cauliflower roots in the bacterial suspension immediately before planting. Disease was more severe in autoclaved soil than in non‐sterile soil.

Occurrence of damping-off of wheat caused by Pythium diclinum tokunaga in El-Minia, Egypt and its possible control by Gliocladium roseum and Trichoderma harzianum

A damping-off disease of wheat was shown in a wheat field in Kidwan village, El-Minia city, Egypt, during December, 2000. Pythium diclinum was the causal agent of such disease and this is the first reported work of its isolation as a disease to wheat. Wheat seedlings collected from that field showed browning lesions at the basal part and wilting followed by damping-off. Examination of root pieces and other infected parts yielded only Pythium diclinum. The pathogen was characterized by its typically filamentous zoosporangia, diclinous antheridia and aplerotic thick-walled oospores. Pathogenicity of this fungus was determined on wheat under greenhouse conditions and P. diclinum was proved to be pathogenic on wheat. Two isolates of each of Gliocladium roseum and Trichoderma harzianum were tested for their bio-control activity against damping-off disease of wheat caused by P. diclinum. Incorporation of G. roseum or T. harzianum isolates into carboxymethylcellulose seed coating successfully eliminated pre-emergence damping-off of the wheat caused disease, whereas post-emergence damping-off was prevented by adding inocula of each of the two fungi separately to the infested soil with P. diclinum.

Antagonistic actions of Pythium oligandrum and Trichoderma harzianum against phytopathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum and Pythium ultimum var. ultimum)

Abstract The possible biological control of damping-off fungi, Fusarium oxysporum and Pythium ultimum by Pythium oligandrum or Trichoderma harzianum was in vitro investigated. Results of comparing the antagonistic activity of P. oligandrum and T. harzianum in dual plates against the tested phytopathogens indicated different degrees of antagonism. After 12 days of incubation colony of the phytopathogenic fungus was completely overgrown by the antagonist, except for the interaction between T. harzianum and F. oxysporum which showed no overgrowth or any hyphal penetration by the antagonist. However, growth and proliferation of F. oxysporum colony was repressed. T. harzianum and P. oligandrum produced chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase when they were grown on liquid culture medium supplemented with chitin or fungal dried mycelium as a sole carbon source, and enzyme production was higher by T. harzianum comparing with P. oligandrum under the same condition. Fungal dried mycelium of F. oxysporum was the most selective carbon source for enzyme production, on the other hand, chitinase production was significant locked when P. ultimum dried mycelium was used as a carbon source. Production of volatile compounds by P. oligandrum or T. harzianum against F. oxysporum and P. ultimum was examined using the inverted plates method. F. oxysporum was inhibited by the antagonist volatile compounds and it is inhibited 100% by increasing the amount of inoculum size. Production of potential biocontrol agents provided with economically features and working under field conditions are recommended.

Isolation of Pythium oligandrum from Egyptian soil and its mycoparasitic effect on Pythium ultimum var. ultimum the damping-off organism of wheat

Pythium oligandrum Drechsler bearing spherical sporangia with complex subglobose elements was isolated for the first time in Egypt from agricultural field soil cultivated with alfalfa (Trifolium alexandrinum) in El-Minia, Egypt. This fungus was found to be an active bio-control agent against P. ultimum var. ultimum, the damping-off organism of wheat. In agar plates, P. oligandrum parasitized P. ultimum var. ultimum hyphae with the aid of thin haustorial branches or infection pegs, eventually leading to host destruction. Incorporation of P. oligandrum into carboxymethylcellulose seed coating successfully eliminated pre-emergence damping-off of wheat caused by P. ultimum var. ultimum, whereas Post-emergence damping-off was prevented by adding inocula of P. oligandrum to the soil.

Morphological and molecular identification of some closely related Pythium species in Egypt

Twelve isolates of Pythium species (P. aphanidermatum, P. deliense, P. ultimum var. ultimum and P. ultimum var. sporangiiferum) from different hosts were compared from morphological, pathological and molecular viewpoints. Minimum, optimum and maximum temperatures of P. aphanidermatum and P. deliense were similar while those of P. ultimum var. ultimum and P. ultimum var. sporangiiferum were also similar. All tested isolates were highly virulent against cucumber seedlings with 100% damping-off. RAPD data using three different primers revealed that strains of P. ultimum var. ultimum and P. ultimum var. sporangiiferum are distinct from each other. This data can be used to separate those species from P. aphanidermatum and P. deliense. In contrast, RAPD data cannot be used to separate P. aphanidermatum and P. deliense. Sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) was used to establish phylogenetic relationships among the tested isolates.

A technique for isolating bacteria-free Pythium spp. from pond water

A special technique for isolating aquaticPythium spp. that are free from bacteria is presented and discussed by citing the disadvantages of the previous studies.

Identification of Pythium carolinianum causing 'root rot' of cotton in Egypt and its possible biological control by Pseudomonas fluorescens.

A severe root rot disease of cotton caused by Pythium carolinianum was diagnosed in a cotton field in Beni-Musa village, 20 km southwest of El-Minia city, Egypt, during the summer of 1996. This was the first reported isolation of this fungus in Egypt. In the light of the importance of the cotton industry in Egypt, research was initiated to develop a biocontrol agent against Pythium carolinianum. In vitro agar plate technique identified a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain that was highly antagonist to Pythium carolinianum. Subsequent plant growth experiments establish that substantial disease control could be obtained by applying Pseudomonas fluorescens to the soil. Optimal control was obtained by mixing the bacteria with the soil rather than by dipping the cotton roots in the bacterial suspension immediately before planting. Disease was more severe in autoclaved soil than in nonsterile soil.

Classification of Pythium ‘group F’ based on mycelial protein and isozyme patterns

Taxonomic characteristics were compared among 10 isolates ofPythium ‘group F’ in tems of the electrophoretic patterns of their mycelial proteins and isozymes. These isolates were obtained from water of three ponds in different seasons and have an identical morphology of zoosporangia. Attempts to cross the isolates with each other themselves and with other isolates from the same group failed.Pythium ‘group F’ is the most dominant of the pythia in the aquatic ecosystem and is difficult to identify because of the lack of sexual reproductive structures. Isozyme analysis proved useful in this respect. Comparisons of banding patterns of total soluble proteins and isozymes revealed five subgroups inPythium ‘group F’. Two isolates obtained from water of different ponds in different seasons showed the same protein and isozyme patterns. Our findings indicate that the use of total soluble protein and isozyme patterns for determining the variation withinPythium ‘group F’ could become a valuable adjunct to the morphological and physiological criteria.

Biological Control of Pythium Damping-off of Bush Okra Using Rhizosphere Strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens

Abstract A severe damping-off disease of bush okra caused by Pythium aphanidermatum, was diagnosed in plastic houses in Der Attia village, 15 km southwest of El-Minia city, Egypt, during the winter of 2001. Bush okra seedlings showed low emergence with bare patches inside the plastic houses. Seedlings that escaped pre-emergence damping-off showed poor growth, stunting and eventually collapsed. Examination of the infected tissues confirmed only Pythium aphanidermatum, showing its typical intercalary antheridia, and lobulate zoosporangia. P aphanidermatum was shown to be pathogenic on bush okra under pot and field experiments. Bacteria making inhibition zones against the damping-off fungus P. aphanidermatum were selected. Agar discs from rhizosphere soil of bush okra containing colonies were transferred onto agar plate culture of P. aphanidermatum. After 2 days of incubation, colonies producing clear zones of non-Pythium growth were readily detected. The two bacteria with the largest inhibition zones were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescent. Bush okra emergence (%) in both pot and plastic houses experiments indicated that disease control could be obtained by applying P. fluorescent to the soil or coating the bacteria to the bush okra seeds before sowing. In the plastic houses, application of the bacteria onto Pythium-infested soil and sowing bush okra seeds dressed with bacteria gave 100% emergence. In addition, This was the first reported disease of bush okra by this oomycete in Egypt.

Ultrastructural changes in the muscles, midgut, hemopoietic organ, imaginal discs and Malpighian tubules of the mosquito Aedes aegypti larvae infected by the fungus Coelomomyces stegomyiae

Fungi belonging to the genus Coelomomyces can infect mosquito larvae and develop within the larval hemocoel. To examine fungal development, Aedesaegypti larvae infected with Coelomomyces stegomyiae Keilin were fixed, embedded and sectioned for both light and electron microscopy. While fungal hyphae of C. stegomyiae did not invade cells other than the cuticular epithelial cells, they did penetrate a number of tissues including muscles, midgut, hemopoietic organ, imaginal discs, and Malpighian tubules.