Interplay between orfamides, sessilins and phenazines in the control of Rhizoctonia diseases by Pseudomonas sp. CMR12a

We investigated the role of phenazines and cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) (orfamides and sessilins), antagonistic metabolites produced by Pseudomonas sp. CMR12a, in the biological control of damping‐off disease on Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis) caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG 2‐1 and root rot disease on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by R. solani AG 4‐HGI. A Pseudomonas mutant that only produced phenazines suppressed damping‐off disease on Chinese cabbage to the same extent as CMR12a, while its efficacy to reduce root rot on bean was strongly impaired. In both pathosystems, the phenazine mutant that produced both CLPs was equally effective, but mutants that produced only one CLP lost biocontrol activity. In vitro microscopic assays revealed that mutants that only produced sessilins or orfamides inhibited mycelial growth of R. solani when applied together, while they were ineffective on their own. Phenazine‐1‐carboxamide suppressed mycelial growth of R. solani AG 2‐1 but had no effect on AG 4‐HGI. Orfamide B suppressed mycelial growth of both R. solani anastomosis groups in a dose‐dependent way. Our results point to an additive interaction between both CLPs. Moreover, phenazines alone are sufficient to suppress Rhizoctonia disease on Chinese cabbage, while they need to work in tandem with the CLPs on bean.