Preliminary experiments into the use of Streptomyces spp. isolated from peat in the biological control of soil and seed-borne diseases in peat culture

Abstract

Streptomyces spp. isolates obtained from peat effectively inhibited the growth of Alternaria brassicicola Wiltshire, Fusarium culmorum (W. G. Smith) Sacc., F. sulphureum Schlechtendahl, Pythium debaryanum auct. non Hesse and Rhizoctonia solani Kühn on PDA medium, but Streptomyces spp. isolates from fine sand soil were not effective against F. culmorum compared to the strains isolated from peat. Treatment of cauliflower seeds with Streptomyces spp. isolated from peat effectively controlled damping-off caused by A. brassicicola and R. solani when the seedlings were grown on either disinfected or fresh peat. Spraying the seeding layer of the peat substrate with a suspension of Streptomyces reduced the mortality of barley sprouts and foot rot caused by F. culmorum, and damping-off on sugar beet caused by P. debaryanum.