In vivo screening for biocontrol agents (BCAs) against streptomyces scabiei causing potato common scab

Abstract

Through in viro screening for biocontrol agents (BCAs) against Sreptomyces scabiei causing potato (Solanum tuberosumi) common scab, 19 streptomycete and 17 fungal isolates with antagonistic activity were selected as BCA candidates. For the selection of BCA candidates which are highly resistant to 10 kinds of antibiotics or pesticides, chemical susceptibility testing was initially performed in vitro. A remarkable degree of variation in susceptibility to antibiotics or pesticides was observed among the isolates tested. Streptomycete A020645 isolate was highly resistant to all the tested chemicals except neomycin up to 5,000 ppm. On the other hand, out of 36 antagonistic microbes subjected to in vivo pot tests using cultivar Daejima, four streptomycete isolates namely, A020645, A010321, A010564, and A020973, showed high antagonistic activity with >60% and 55% control value, respectively, and high chemical resistance to 10 kinds of chemicals. Therefore, these isolates were selected as potential BCAs for the control of potato common scab.