生物质炭载体联合有益菌防控番茄土传青枯病的效果研究

土传青枯病是由青枯菌（Ralstonia solanacearum）引起的一种细菌性病害。根际有益细菌在青枯病的防控中发挥着重要作用,其在根际有效定殖是发挥生防作用的前提。以玉米秸秆、木块（松木）和稻壳为原料制成的3种生物质炭为有益菌Bacillus amyloliquefaciens T-5的载体,探究生物质炭对有益菌防控番茄土传青枯病效果的影响,并利用室内模拟试验探究生物质炭对青枯菌的吸附、固持以及对根系分泌物的吸附作用,旨在阐述施用生物质炭提升有益菌T-5抑制病原青枯菌能力的可能机制。温室试验结果表明：单独施用3种生物质炭均显著降低青枯病的发病率和根际青枯菌的数量,其中具有高比表面积的木块生物质炭的防控效率达到60.56%。3种生物质炭作为有益菌T-5的载体均能够显著提升有益菌T-5的根际定殖数量及其防病效率,其中木块生物质炭的提升效果最好。与仅接种青枯菌的对照相比,木块生物质炭与有益菌T-5组合处理的根际青枯菌数量降幅达97.42%;与单独有益菌T-5处理相比,有益菌T-5以木块生物质炭为载体使其根际定殖数量提高了5.71倍。进一步研究发现,木块生物质炭能够有效吸附青枯菌,吸附...     

健康与罹患青枯病的番茄土壤细菌群落特征比较

应用实时荧光定量PCR及MiSeq高通量测序技术,全面地研究了连作番茄田块中健康与感染青枯病植株周围土体及根际土壤细菌群落结构和组成。结果表明:健康番茄土体土壤的pH及全碳含量显著高于感病番茄土体土壤;土体及根际土壤的细菌群落结构和组成明显不同于感病番茄土体及根际土壤细菌群落。与感病番茄根际相比,健康番茄根际细菌的数量显著升高而青枯菌数量显著降低;细菌群落的Shannon多样性指数显著增高;拟杆菌门及其所含的噬几丁质菌属、金杆菌属、动杆菌属、黄杆菌属及Taibaiella的相对丰度显著增高而变形菌门及其所含的青枯菌属的相对丰度显著降低。综上,抑制土传青枯病发生的番茄根际土壤细菌群落特征明显,其生物量及多样性高,土著有益菌群数量多而病原菌数量少,为番茄土传青枯病的生物防控提供了指导方向与理论依据。     

土传病原细菌的生存与致病权衡

土传病原细菌严重威胁土壤-植物系统健康和农业可持续发展。在接触和入侵寄主植物根系之前,病原细菌会经受土壤pH、含氧量、营养物质种类和数量等非生物因素骤变以及其他土壤微生物的竞争、寄生和捕食等生物胁迫。病原细菌的生物膜形成、代谢、运动、毒力、DNA修复以及对噬菌体、抗生素或环境压力的抵抗能力等特性对其在土壤环境中生存和侵染寄主非常重要。为适应复杂且多变的土壤生物和非生物环境,病原细菌必须动态权衡其生存和致病力之间的关系,维持其生存、传播、增殖和侵染致病间的平衡,以最大化其在土壤环境中的适应性。系统理解土传病原细菌应对胁迫和侵染寄主植物的过程及权衡机制是建立精准、高效生态防控手段的关键。为此,以土传病原细菌为代表,总结了土传病原细菌生存与致病的权衡规律和典型现象及土壤中的生物和非生物影响因素,阐述了土传病原细菌入侵植物根际过程中的生存与致病权衡机制,并提出一些与土传病原细菌生存与致病权衡相关的科学问题,呼吁建立基于生存-致病权衡理论的土传病害生态防控策略,为绿色农业可持续发展提供理论参考。     

土传病原细菌的生存与致病权衡

土传病原细菌严重威胁土壤-植物系统健康和农业可持续发展。在接触和入侵寄主植物根系之前,病原细菌会经受土壤pH、含氧量、营养物质种类和数量等非生物因素骤变以及其他土壤微生物的竞争、寄生和捕食等生物胁迫。病原细菌的生物膜形成、代谢、运动、毒力、DNA修复以及对噬菌体、抗生素或环境压力的抵抗能力等特性对其在土壤环境中生存和侵染寄主非常重要。为适应复杂且多变的土壤生物和非生物环境,病原细菌必须动态权衡其生存和致病力之间的关系,维持其生存、传播、增殖和侵染致病间的平衡,以最大化其在土壤环境中的适应性。系统理解土传病原细菌应对胁迫和侵染寄主植物的过程及权衡机制是建立精准、高效生态防控手段的关键。为此,以土传病原细菌为代表,总结了土传病原细菌生存与致病的权衡规律和典型现象及土壤中的生物和非生物影响因素,阐述了土传病原细菌入侵植物根际过程中的生存与致病权衡机制,并提出一些与土传病原细菌生存与致病权衡相关的科学问题,呼吁建立基于生存-致病权衡理论的土传病害生态防控策略,为绿色农业可持续发展提供理论参考。     

丛枝菌根真菌提高感染青枯菌番茄根际土壤细菌群落多样性和稳定性及有益菌属相对丰度

  【目的】  青枯病是由茄科雷尔氏菌 (Ralstonia solanacearum, 亦称青枯菌) 诱导产生的一种高温高湿型土传病害,土壤温度高、湿度大时易于青枯菌的繁殖进而引发青枯病。丛枝菌根真菌 (arbuscular mycorrhiza, AM) 可能通过调控根际微生物区系对病原体产生影响,我们研究了AM真菌对青枯菌入侵条件下土壤细菌群落的影响。  【方法】  以番茄 (Solanum lycopersicum) 为试材进行盆栽试验,供试AM真菌为摩西管柄囊霉 (Funneliformis mosseae) M47V,供试病原菌为茄科雷尔氏菌QL-RS 1115 (GenBank:GU390462)。催芽5日的番茄种子,接种AM菌剂的为菌根苗,未接种AM真菌的为非菌根苗。在番茄幼苗生长30天时,一半菌根苗和非菌根苗接种青枯菌,另一半不接种青枯菌,共4个处理。在接种青枯菌后1天和14天,采集番茄样品,采用抖土方法采集根际土壤,利用实时荧光PCR分析番茄根际青枯菌数量,采用16S rRNA高通量测序探究土壤细菌群落多样性和结构稳定性。  【结果】  在接种青枯菌初期 (1天),非菌根苗接种青枯菌 (TR–AMF) 和菌根苗接种青枯菌 (TR+AMF) 两组处理的根际土壤细菌群落结构发生明显改变,Chao1指数、Shannon指数和Simpson指数显著降低 (P<0.05),共现网络的节点数和连接数明显减少,模块化程度降低,共现网络简化表明细菌群落结构的稳定性降低。接种青枯菌14天后,不动杆菌属 (Acinetobacter)、鞘氨醇单胞菌属 (Sphingomonas)、溶杆菌属 (Lysobacter)、假单胞菌属 (Pseudomonas) 等有益细菌属在感染青枯菌的番茄根际富集,细菌共现网络的节点数和连接数增加,模块化程度提高,表明细菌群落稳定性得到恢复。与非菌根苗相比,菌根苗接种青枯菌 (TR+AMF) 和菌根苗未接种青枯菌 (TN+AMF) 两个处理番茄根际土壤中青枯菌丰度显著降低 (P<0.05)。AM真菌显著提高Chao1指数和Shannon指数 (P<0.05),提高了感染青枯菌番茄根际土壤中黄杆菌属(Flavobacterium)、黄色土源菌属 (Flavisolibacter)、噬胞菌属 (Cytophaga) 和苔藓杆菌属 (Bryobacter) 的相对丰度,同时增加了共现网络的节点数和连接数,并促进番茄根际细菌物种之间的良性互作,提高细菌网络的复杂程度。  【结论】  感染青枯菌的番茄根际会富集不动杆菌属 (Acinetobacter)、鞘氨醇单胞菌属 (Sphingomonas)、溶杆菌属 (Lysobacter)、假单胞菌属 (Pseudomonas) 等有益菌属以提高其抗病性,恢复细菌多样性和群落稳定性。接种AM真菌可显著降低番茄根际土壤中青枯菌的丰度,特别是侵染青枯菌后提高番茄根际的黄杆菌属 (Flavobacterium)、黄色土源菌属 (Flavisolibacter) 、噬胞菌属 (Cytophaga) 和苔藓杆菌属 (Bryobacter)的相对丰度,进而抑制土壤中青枯菌的生长,并通过提高细菌的多样性和丰富度,促进番茄根际细菌物种之间的稳定共生和良性互作,从而提高细菌群落对青枯菌的抵抗能力。     

土壤含水率与干密度对油松根-土界面摩擦性能的影响

为研究土壤物理特性对植物根系固土性能的影响,通过对油松单根施加拔出荷载进行直接拉拔实验,分析土壤含水率与干密度对拔出过程中根-土界面摩擦性能的影响。结果表明：单根拉拔实验中根系有被拔出和被拉断2种破坏模式：根-土最大摩擦力与根系直径有明显的线性相关关系,通过建立单根简化模型分析根-土间的摩擦情况,证明与实验结论一致;且根系直径在一定范围内时,根-土的最大摩擦力随土壤含水率的升高先增大后减小,而随土体干密度的升高单调增大。     

烟草根系分泌物酚酸类物质的鉴定及其对根际微生物的影响

【目的】烟草连作已导致土传病害发生、 烟株生长受抑制、 产量下降和品质恶化等问题。烟株对自身及土壤微生物产生的化感作用,是烟草产生连作障碍的一个重要原因,其中化感物质中的根系分泌物是烟株与土壤微生物间相互作用的重要物质,探索烟草根系分泌物对根际微生物生长的影响是生物防控烟草青枯病的理论依据。【方法】本文利用超高效液相色谱串联四级杆飞行时间质谱(UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)技术,分离、 鉴定烟草根系分泌物中主要酚酸类物质的种类和含量; 通过添加外源酚酸类物质,研究在液体培养基中烟草根系分泌物中的主要酚酸类物质对病原菌及拮抗菌的影响,并在土壤中添加鉴定出的主要酚酸类物质; 通过土壤培育试验,研究其对土壤微生物多样性和数量变化,特别是对烟草青枯病菌及其拮抗菌生长的影响。【结果】1)烟草根系分泌物粗提物对病原菌(茄科劳尔氏菌)生长的促进率为16.8％,对拮抗菌(短短芽孢杆菌)的生长抑制率达到29.4％; 2)UPLC-Q-TOF/MS检测根系分泌物中主要酚酸类物质为苯甲酸和3-苯丙酸,含量分别为0.25 μg/g干根重和1.15 μg/g干根重; 3)液体培养外源添加低浓度的苯甲酸(≤ 2 μg/L)和3-苯丙酸(≤ 3 μg/L)促进病原菌和拮抗菌的生长; 4 μg/L的苯甲酸对病原菌生长抑制作用不显著,对拮抗菌生长的抑制率达到90.2％,6 μg/L的 3-苯丙酸对病原菌的生长具有促进作用,对拮抗菌的生长抑制率达到81.1％,外源高浓度苯甲酸(≥4 μg/L)和3-苯丙酸(≥ 7 μg/L)抑制病原菌与拮抗菌的成长; 4)土壤中添加3 μg/kg土的苯甲酸时,土壤中病原菌的数量增加12.3％,而拮抗菌的数量减少21.0％,土壤细菌、 放线菌和真菌的数量分别降低37.5％,41.9％和55.6％; 3-苯丙酸浓度达到8 μg/kg土时,拮抗菌生长量减少14.5％,对病原菌没有显著影响,土壤细菌、 放线菌和真菌的数量分别降低69.9％,57.2％和80.7％; 5)土壤添加4 μg/kg的苯甲酸和7 μg/kg的3-苯丙酸后,土壤微生物Shannon指数、 Simpson指数、 McIntosh指数显著下降,分别仅为对照的57.7％、 94.1％、 88.1％和97.6％ 73.3％、 80.0％。【结论】烟草根系分泌物粗提物促进病原菌生长抑制拮抗菌生长,根系分泌物中酚酸类物质主要为苯甲酸和3-苯丙酸,液体培养中4 μg/L的苯甲酸或6 μg/L的 3-苯丙酸浓度是对病原菌生长抑制不明显但显著抑制拮抗菌生长的分界点,土壤外源添加3 μg/kg的苯甲酸或8 μg/kg的3-苯丙酸时,是土壤增加病原菌减少拮抗菌数量的分界点,同时土壤微生物功能多样性显著下降,病原菌对根系分泌物中苯甲酸和3-苯丙酸的利用优于拮抗菌,这也是烟草长期连作引起青枯病暴发流行的机理之一。     

硅介导番茄青枯病抗性的土壤定量蛋白质组学研究

番茄(Solanum lycopersicum)是一种重要的经济作物。由青枯菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)侵染所产生的青枯病是一种严重影响茄科类作物的细菌性土传病害。传统的防治方法,如培育抗性品种、轮作、药剂防治等均存在一定的局限。而硅作为一种作物生长的有益元素,在提高植物适应生物胁迫和非生物胁迫中均起重要作用。本研究以易感青枯病的番茄品种"台湾红圣女"作为试验材料,利用i TRAQ(isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation)定量蛋白质组学技术,研究硅和/或青枯菌接种对番茄青枯病抗性及土壤蛋白质组的影响。结果表明,2.0 mmol L-1硅处理能显著降低番茄青枯病的病情指数,增强抗病性。基于i TRAQ定量蛋白质组学技术,硅和/或青枯菌处理对土壤蛋白质组的研究表明,在鉴定的30个土壤蛋白质中,有29个蛋白差异表达显著(上调≥1.2倍,下调≤0.8倍差异)。青枯菌侵染诱发22个土壤蛋白下调表达,5个上调表达。在不接菌的条件下,硅处理有5个土壤蛋白上调,19个蛋白下调;而接菌条件下则有8个蛋白上调,14个蛋白下调。将这29个差异蛋白进行GO基因功能分类结果显示,硅和/或青枯菌处理主要影响生理代谢过程以及核酸结合蛋白。硅对番茄青枯病的作用机理主要体现在:改变微生物的代谢能力,调控与抗性代谢、蛋白质的合成与翻译、信号转导以及免疫系统过程和胁迫响应有关蛋白的表达,影响钙离子信号转导等。     

黄褐土、潮土中不同氮素形态配比对烤烟根际土壤微生物数量的影响

试验采用盆栽控雨栽培和根网袋的方法 ,在两种土壤类型上初步研究了不同氮素形态配比与芝麻饼肥互作对烤烟不同生育时期根际土壤微生物数量的影响。结果表明 :在黄褐土中 ,当施入 40 %饼肥、NO-3 ∶NH+ 4为 1∶1时 ,土壤中真菌、氨化细菌和好气性纤维素分解菌数量最多 ,促进根系的生长发育。在潮土中 ,当施入 40 %饼肥、NO-3 :NH+ 4为 3∶1时 ,土壤中好气性纤维素分解菌、氨化细菌在移栽后 3 8天迅速上升 ,促进了根系对氮素的吸收利用     

生物有机肥育苗防控烟草青枯病

【目的】烟草青枯病是影响贵州烟叶生产的主要土传病害之一。生物防控方法作为防控烟草青枯病体系的有效措施之一,寻求经济可行的途径势在必行。【方法】利用实验室自主筛选到的烟草青枯菌拮抗菌NJL-14,通过二次固体发酵研制成烟草专用拮抗青枯病型生物有机肥 (BIO),选取K326和红花大金元两个烟草品种分别进行育苗和盆栽试验。育苗床基质分别添加BIO 1%、2%、3%、4%和5%,以确定适宜的BIO育苗添加量。盆栽试验两个品种分别设定五个处理:常规基质育苗 + 植烟健康土壤(CKn+CKp）、常规基质育苗?+?青枯病病土（CKn+Rs）、常规基质育苗?+?青枯病病土?+?有机肥(CKn+OFp)、常规基质育苗?+?青枯病病土?+?BIO(CKn+BIOp)、育苗和盆栽病土中都施入BIO(BIOn+BIOp)。分别采用荧光定量PCR和Biolog-ECO研究育苗基质和盆栽土壤中细菌和真菌数量变化,以及微生物功能多样性,特别是烟草青枯菌及其拮抗菌的消长关系。【结果】当BIO浓度在2%以内时,烟草的发芽率与对照无显著差异;与普通漂浮育苗相比,托盘育苗不但能稳定和延长拮抗菌NJL-14在根际的定殖,而且显著提高烟苗生物量,K326经BIO育苗处理的烟苗地上部和地下部的干重分别比常规基质育苗的处理高17.2%和30.8%,而红花大金元分别高14.9%和20.0%;采用育苗与移栽土壤双重使用BIO模式对烟草青枯病的防控效果明显,防控效果可以达到100%,明显优于只在盆栽中使用BIO模式,并且能够显著抑制土壤中病原菌数量在107 cfu/g土以下,同时有效提高土壤微生物生态多样性。【结论】采用育苗与移栽土壤双重使用烟草专用拮抗青枯病型生物有机肥模式可有效防控烟草青枯病,控制土壤中病原菌数量,改善土壤微生物功能多样性,为有效地生物防控烟草青枯病奠定基础。     

生物有机肥对田间蔬菜根际土壤中病原菌和功能菌组成的影响

利用实时荧光定量PCR方法对田间条件下连作番茄和辣椒施用生物有机肥(BOF)和常规施肥(CK)的根际土壤微生物中青枯病原菌和功能菌群(固氮菌和荧光假单胞菌)的数量进行定量研究.结果表明:与CK相比,BOF处理的番茄和辣椒产量分别提高了26.0％和19.9％,青枯病发病率分别降低了41.5％和44.7％,番茄和辣椒植株根际土壤固氮菌数量分别增加了23.5％和25.8％、荧光假单胞菌数量分别增加了29.5％和20.2％、病原菌数量分别减少了73.2％和90.1％.生物有机肥能够调控根际微生物区系的组成,降低土传病害的发病率,促进作物健康生长;实时荧光定量PCR方法能够快速准确地检测根际土壤中功能微生物种群数量变化.     

Soil suppressiveness and functional diversity of the soil microflora in organic farming systems

Arable fields of 10 organic farms from different locations in The Netherlands were sampled in three subsequent years. The soil samples were analysed for disease suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia solani AG2.2IIIB in sugar beet, Streptomyces scabies in radish and Verticillium longisporum in oilseed rape. In addition, a variety of microbial, chemical and physical soil characteristics were assessed. All data were correlated by multiple regression and multivariate analyses with the objective to find correlations between soil suppressiveness and biotic or abiotic soil characteristics. Significant differences in soil suppressiveness were found between the fields for all three diseases. Multiple regression indicated a significant correlation between suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia and the number of antagonistic Lysobacter spp., as well as with % active fungi and bacterial diversity. Grass-clover stimulated Rhizoctonia suppression as well as the presence of antagonistic Lysobacter spp. (mainly L. antibioticus and L. gummosus) in clay soils. Streptomyces suppression correlated with the number of antagonistic Streptomyces spp., % of active fungi and bacterial population size. The presence of antagonistic Streptomyces spp. correlated with a high fungal/bacterial biomass ratio. Verticillium suppression was only measured in 2004 and 2005, due to the inconsistent suppressiveness along the years. Nevertheless, a significant correlation with pH, potential nitrogen mineralization and bacterial biomass was found. Bacterial and fungal PCR-denaturing gel electrophoresis fingerprinting of bacterial and fungal communities, in general, did not significantly correlate with disease suppression. Highly significant explanatory factors of the composition of the dominating bacterial and fungal populations were % lutum, pH, C/N quotient, biomass and growth rate of bacteria. Additionally, the % of organic matter and years of organic farming were explaining significantly the composition of the bacterial population.Thus, significant correlations between several soil characteristics and suppressiveness of different soil-borne pathogens were found. For two of the three pathogens, suppression correlated with biotic soil characteristics combined with the presence of specific bacterial antagonists. Probably the soil suppressiveness measured in the organic fields is a combined effect of general and specific disease suppression.     

Effects of soil type, management type and soil amendments on the survival of the potato brown rot bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum

Potato brown rot disease (Ralstonia solanacearum) is a serious economic problem in Egypt, partly due to an European Union requirement that potatoes for export to the EU should be grown in so-called pest free area's (PFA's), where fields are tested and infested fields are put under quarantine measures. To investigate pathogen survival and to determine the time required to keep infested fields in quarantine, the survival of R. solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 was tested in soils differing in origin (Dutch versus Egyptian soils), soil type (sand versus clay), and management type (organic versus conventional). All eight soils were tested at moderate (15 °C) and elevated temperatures (28 °C). Also the effects of artificial fertilizer and organic (compost and cow manure) amendments on survival of R. solanacearum were tested.In all soils, with and without amendments, the pathogen dropped below the detection limit (10² CFU g⁻¹ d.w. soil) within 5 months. At both temperatures, all Egyptian soils showed a significantly faster decline in pathogen density than the Dutch soils. The decline in colony forming units of R. solanacearum per gram of soil was faster in sandy soils than in clay soils from both countries. Management effects on decline of R. solanacearum were smaller and less consistent: for some soils, organic management resulted in a significantly shorter 50%-reduction-time and/or greater decline rate than conventional management, for other soils the differences were not significant. Survival periods at 15 °C were longer than at 28 °C in Dutch soils, but not in Egyptian soils, where survival was slightly shorter at the lower temperature. Amendments with NPK fertilizer to the conventional soils and with cow manure to the organic soils enhanced the decline rate of R. solanacearum in these soils. The decline rate of the pathogen was negatively correlated with total soluble organic matter and positively with bacterial diversity. In conclusion, the overriding factors determining survival of R. solanacearum in soil may be the production of toxic concentrations of ammonia on the one hand, and availability of substrate in combination with microbial competition on the other hand. The sandy desert soils of Egypt are very suitable for production of export potatoes because the pathogen would survive for only a relatively short period in those soils, if it were accidentally introduced. Addition of ammonia-producing amendments can reduce populations of R. solanacearum, whereas compost addition and organic management do not necessarily result in an enhanced decline of the pathogen.     

Rhizobacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strain SQRT3-Mediated Induced Systemic Resistance Controls Bacterial Wilt of Tomato

Tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum seriously threats tomato growth in tropical and temperate regions around the world. This study reported an antagonistic bacterial strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain SQRT3, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of tomato plants, which strongly inhibited in vitro growth of pathogenic R. solanacearum. The suppression of tomato bacterial wilt by strain SQRT3 was demonstrated under greenhouse conditions. Additionally, induced systemic resistance (ISR) in tomato as one of the potential disease suppression mechanisms was investigated in the plants inoculated with the isolated bacterial strain SQRT3. The results showed that strain SQRT3 applied with R. solanacearum by drenching significantly reduced tomato bacterial wilt by 68.1% biocontrol efficiency (BE) and suppressed the R. solanacearum populations in the rhizosphere soil compared to the control only drenched with R. solanacearum. The BE of the isolated bacterial strain SQRT3 against tomato wilt increased to 84.1% by root-dipping. Tomato plants treated with both strain SQRT3 and R. solanacearum showed increases in activities of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase compared with other treatments. The application of strain SQRT3 reduced membrane lipid peroxidation in tomato leaves. The expressions of marker genes for jasmonic acid-and salicylic acid-dependent signaling pathways were faster and stronger in tomato plants treated with both strain SQRT3 and R. solanacearum than in plants treated with either R. solanacearum or strain SQRT3 alone. Collectively, the findings indicated that strain SQRT3 can effectively control tomato wilt.     

Microalgal bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture and their interactions with soil biotic and abiotic components: A review

Modern agricultural practices have posed a detrimental impact on the environment due to their intensive use to meet the food demands of an ever-increasing population. In this context, microalgal bioinoculants, specifically cyanobacteria and green microalgae, have emerged as sustainable options for agricultural practices to improve soil organic carbon, nutrient availability, microbial quality, and plant productivity. An overview of current and future perspectives on the use of microalgal bioinoculants in agriculture practices is presented in this review, along with a discussion of their interactions with soil biotic and abiotic factors that affect soil fertility, plant health, and crop productivity. The benefits of microalgal bioinoculants include releasing agronomically important metabolites (exopolymers and phytohormones) as well as solubilizing soil nutrients. Furthermore, they function as biocontrol agents against soil-borne pathogens and facilitate the establishment of rhizosphere communities of agricultural importance. So far, very few studies have explored the basic mechanisms by which microalgal bioinoculants interact with soil biotic and abiotic factors. In recent years, advanced molecular techniques have contributed to a better understanding of these interactions.     

Influence of irrigation on the distribution and control of the nematode Meloidogyne javanica by the biocontrol bacterium Pasteuria penetrans in the field

Pasteuria penetrans, a bacterial parasite of plant-parasitic nematodes, is used to control root-knot nematode Meloidogyne spp. populations in vegetable crops. But its efficiency is variable, mostly because of the patchy distribution of the bacteria in arable fields. As the infective P. penetrans are non-motile bacteria in soil, abiotic soil factors can affect the bacteria–nematode relationships. An epidemiological study, conducted in a vegetable field, showed that abiotic factors such as irrigation, soil water holding capacity and texture, affected the efficiency of P. penetrans. A correspondence analysis between these abiotic factors and the density of P. penetrans spores in the soil, and the proportion of Meloidogyne javanica juveniles infected by the bacteria, revealed that irrigation affected directly the distribution of the spores in soil pores related to their passive transport by water flow. Laboratory experiments conducted on the passive transport of spores confirmed that intensive irrigation leached the spores down the soil profile and decreased the percentage of infected Meloidogyne juveniles.     

Suppression of Ralstonia solanacearum in soil following colonization by other strains of R. solanacearum

The effect of prior colonization of a sterile loam soil and a sterile clay loam soil by individual soil bacteria on the subsequent growth of a bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum YU1Rif43 (tRNA type III: Seal et al. 1992: Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 58, 3759–3761) was investigated. Various strains, belonging to the same type, the same species, the same genus, Gram-negative, Grampositive, or fungi, were used. The degree of suppression of the growth of R. solanacearum YU1Rif43 was markedly different depending on the species that had previously colonized the soil, hereafter referred to as priorcolonists. All the strains belonging to R. solanacearum type III suppressed the growth of R. solanacearum YU1Rif43 markedly, while strains of R. solanacearum type I and type II showed a moderate suppressive effect on R. solanacearum YU1Rif43. The suppressive effect of the strains belonging to species other than R. solanacearum, including fungal strains, was relatively limited, or some strains did not show any suppressive effect. The production of bacteriocin did not appear to be related to the strong suppressive effect of the R. solanacearum type III strains. Possible mechanisms for the suppressive effect of priorcolonists on R. solanacearum YU1Rif43 are discussed in relation to nutrients and physical sites in soil available for growth.     

Differences in native soil ecology associated with invasion of the exotic annual chenopod,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Halogeton glomeratus</Emphasis>

Various biotic and abiotic components of soil ecology differed significantly across an area where Halogeton glomeratus is invading a native winterfat, [ Krascheninnikovia (= Ceratoides) lanata] community. Nutrient levels were significantly different among the native, ecotone, and exotic-derived soils. NO₃, P, K, and Na all increased as the cover of halogeton increased. Only Ca was highest in the winterfat area. A principal components analysis, conducted separately for water-soluble and exchangeable cations, revealed clear separation between halogeton- and winterfat-derived soils. The diversity of soil bacteria was highest in the exotic, intermediate in the ecotone, and lowest in the native community. Although further studies are necessary, our results offer evidence that invasion by halogeton alters soil chemistry and soil ecology, possibly creating conditions that favor halogeton over native plants.