Biocontrol of late blight and plant growth promotion in tomato using rhizobacterial isolates.

Seven bacterial isolates (viz., AB05, AB10, AB11, AB12, AB14, AB15, and AB17) were derived from the rhizosphere and evaluated in terms of plant growth-promoting activities and the inhibition of Phytophthora infestans affecting tomatoes in Korea. According to 16S rDNA sequencing, a majority of the isolates are members of Bacillus, and a single isolate belongs to Paenibacillus. All seven isolates inhibited P. infestans by more than 60% in vitro. However, AB15 was the most effective, inhibiting mycelial growth of the pathogen by more than 80% in vitro and suppressing disease by 74% compared with control plants under greenhouse conditions. In a PGPR assay, all of the bacterial isolates were capable of enhancing different growth parameters (shoot/root length, fresh biomass, dry matter, and chlorophyll content) in comparison with non-inoculated control plants. AB17-treated plants in particular showed the highest enhancement in fresh biomass with 18% and 26% increments in the root and shoot biomass, respectively. However, isolate AB10 showed the highest shoot and root growth with 18% and 26% increments, respectively. Moreover, the total chlorophyll content was 14%~19% higher in treated plants.