Role of Siderophores in Biocontrol of Fusarium solani and Enhanced Growth Response of Bean by Pseudomonas fluorescens GL20

Plant growth-promoting Psudomonas fluorescens GL20 was isolated from a ginseng rhizosphere on chrome azurol Sagar. P. fluorescens GL20 produced a large amount of hydoxamate siderophore in an iron-deficient medium. The siderophore showed significantly high specific activity of 20.2 unit. Using an in vitro antifungal test, P. fluorescens GL20 considerably suppressed growth of phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium solani, inhibiting spore germination and germ tube elongation. In pot trials of kidney beans with P. fluorescens GL20, disease incidence was remarkably reduced up to $68{\%}$ compared with that of F. solani alone, and plant growth was also increased nearly 1.6 fold as compared to that of the untreated control, promoting elongation and development of the roots. These results indicate that the plant growth-promoting activity of P. fluorescens GL20 can play an important role in biological control of soil-borne plant disease in a rhizosphere, enhancing the growth of plants.