Myxobacteria as a potential biocontrol agent effective against pathogenic fungi of economically important forest trees

Abstract

The broad biocontrol properties of myxobacteria (mainly members of the genera Corallococcus and Myxococcus) isolated from forest soils against main fungal pathogens of pine seedlings were estimated. Among the myxobacterial strains studied (in vivo tests), the strongest antagonism towards fungi was noticed for the strains of the species Myxococcus virescens Thaxter and Corallococcus exiguus Reichenbach. They inhibited the fungal growth within the range 38-63%. The strongest inhibitory reaction towards Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zinssm.) Scholten was observed. A predominating part of myxobacteria (22 from among 30) inhibited the growth of Rhizoctonia solani Khn. Myxobacteria suppressed any pathogenic action of Rhizoctonia solani (strain 411) towards Scots pine seedlings (in vitro tests). They produced extracellular (but not intracellular) acidic and neutral proteinases. None of the myxobacterial strain under examination produced chitinases. The 57% of the myxobacterial strains studied produced siderophores.