Effect of ten antibiotics on the recovery of seed-borne Pseudomonas syringae pv syringae of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp var. IT 825-2246-4.

The effect of ten different antibiotics: Amoxil, Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Cloxacillin, Cotrimexazole, Erythromycin, Nitrofurantoin, Penicillin, Tetracycline and Vibramycin on the recovery of seed-borne Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and on percentage seed germination of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp var. IT 825-2246-4 at various temperature regimes: 25 degrees C, 30 degrees C, 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C were investigated using the Standard Blotter Method. Seeds were presoaked for 1 hour in each antibiotic at the concentration rate of 250mg/liter before plating on three layers of moist blotter papers in petri dishes. Seeds were incubated for 72 hours in temperature controlled incubators at the various temperature regimes. Seeds not treated with antibiotic served as control. In all the temperature regimes studied. Tetracycline was the most effective antibiotic in controlling the bacterium while Cotrimexazole was the least effective when compared with control. The highest percentage seed germination was recorded on seeds treated with Amoxil while the lowest percentage seed germination was recorded on seeds treated with Tetracycline. Generally, the temperature regimes used did not have any appreciable effect on the recovery of the bacterium and on percentage seed germination.