Science Letters

Antagonistic Activity of Pseudomonas fluorescens against Fungal Plant Pathogen Aspergillus niger

Fakhar-un-Nisa Yunus*, Madiha Iqbal, Khajista Jabeen, Zakia Kanwal, Farzana Rashid

Department of Zoology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi are one of the serious problems in agriculture. Aspergillus niger is well-known to cause important plant diseases, resulting in a significant loss of agricultural crops. Pseudomonas fluorescens is one of the major bio-control agent found in the rhizospher soil of many crop systems. In the present study, the biocontrol strain P. fluorescence Pf4 was isolated from the soil and its antagonistic activity was observed against fungal plant pathogen A. niger by using different antifungal assays, i.e., cross streak, pour plate and agar well diffusion assay. P. fluorescens showed significant antagonistic potential against A. niger, with the formation of 16 mm in diameter zone of inhibition of. In the seed treatment experiment, the chilli seeds treated with P. fluorescence Pf4 showed 100% germination index and 50% reduction in seed mortality as compared to treatment with fungal pathogen alone. These results show the potential of P. fluorescence Pf4 to be used as a biocontrol agent for the control of diseases caused by A. niger. The isolation of new biocontrol strains is necessary to cope with plant diseases.

Keywords Antagonistic effect, biocontrol, fungal plant pathogens, Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Received Feruary 10, 2016 Accepted March 29, 2016 Abstract Published April 15, 2016 Manuscript Published April 15, 2016

*Corresponding author Fakhar-un-Nisa Yunus Email fakhar_yunus@yahoo.com