Biological Control Activities of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria from Organic and Nonorganic Rice Fields against Rice Sheath Blight Pathogen (Rhizoctonia solani Kühn)

Rhizoctonia solani is one of the major pathogens that cause sheath blight disease in rice. Sheath blight is one of the most difficult diseases to control. Biological control (with the use of rhizobacteria) is one of the ways to control this disease. Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a rhizosphere bacterium that can be used to enhance plant growth. The composition of the rhizobacteria in organic and nonorganic soil is affected by the chemical characteristics of the soil - which influences plant physiology and root exudation patterns. This study aimed to obtain a species of rhizobacteria which shows PGPR activity, from organic and nonorganic rice fields and test their capability to suppress R. solani growth. Out of 23 isolates screened for PGPR activity, the following isolates showed high PGPR activity and were selected for in vitro antagonistic activity testing against R. solani: ISO6, ISO11, ISO15, ISN2, ISN3, and ISN7, The six isolates produced 43,42−75,23 ppm of IAA, possessed phosphorus solubilization capability, and chitinase-producing activity. ISO6 (54.88%) and ISN7 (83.33%) displayed high inhibition capacities against R. solani, in vitro. ISO6 and ISN7 inhibited the growth of R. solani lesions on rice leaves by 89% and 100% (without lesion), respectively, after 7 days of incubation. Analysis of their 16S rRNA sequences revealed that the ISO6 isolate was Citrobacter freundii and ISN7 isolate was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. KCI Citation Count: 0