• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.283-288
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• 2008

Plant leaf surface is an important niche for diverse epiphytic microbes, including bacteria and fungi. Plant leaf surface plays a critical frontline defense against pathogen infections. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a starch-based super-absorbent polymer(SAP) combination, which enhances water potential and nutrient availability to plant leaves. We evaluated the effect of SAP on the maintenance of bacterial populations. In order to monitor bacterial populations in situ, a SAP mixture containing Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci that expressed recombinant green fluorescent protein(GFPuv) was spray-challenged onto whole leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. The SAP combination treatment enhanced bacterial robustness, as indicated by disease severity and incidence. Unexpectedly, bacterial numbers were not significantly different between leaves treated with the SAP combination and those treated with water alone. Furthermore, young leaves treated with the SAP combination had more severe symptoms and a greater number of bacterial spots caused by primary and secondary infections compared to young leaves treated with the water control. In contrast, bacterial cell numbers did not statistically differ between the two groups, which indicated that measurement of viable GFP-based bacterial spots may provide a more sensitive methodology for assessing virulence of bacterial pathogens than methods that require dilution plating following maceration of bacterial-inoculated leaf tissue. Our study suggests that the SAP combination successfully increased bacterial aggressiveness, which could either be used to promote the ability of biological agents to control weedy plants or increase the robustness of saprophytic epiphytes against competition from potentially harmful microbes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2000

Bacterial wilt(Ralstonia solanacearum) is one of the major diseases of flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) in the world. This study was conducted to investigate degree of dominance, selection, and correlation between leaf shape and degree of bacterial wilt resistance in flue-cured tobacco. The degree of disease caused by bacterial wilt was evaluated in parents, F$_1$, F$_2$ and F$_3$ populations of two crosses, BY 4 x NC 95 and BY 4 x Coker 86, in the infected field. The leaf shape index was also measured in parents and F$_2$ population of BY 4 x NC 95. The incidence of bacterial wilt was observed in the middle of June and peaked in late July, when the highest value of pathogen density reached 1.0 x 10$^{6}$ colony forming unit per gram. It was concluded that the inheritance mode of risestance to bacterial wilt in the above two crosses of susceptible and resistant varieties was recessive and polygenic. The resistance to bacterial wilt was significantly correlated with leaf shape in F2 generation of BY 4 x NC 95. But certain plants having narrower leaves were also resistant to bacterial wilt. It is considered that the bacterial wilt resistant lines having narrower leaves could be selected. The selection for bacterial wilt resistance in the F$_2$ population might be effective.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.311-320
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• 2016

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines (Xag) is a necrotrophic bacterial pathogen of the soybean that causes bacterial pustules and is a nonhost pathogen of the chili pepper. In the current study, chili pepper fruit wound inoculated in planta with Xag 8ra formed necrotic lesions on the fruit surface and induced several structural and chemical barriers systemically in the fruit tissue. The initial defense response included programmed cell death of necrotizing and necrotized cells, which was characterized by nuclear DNA cleavage, as detected by TUNEL-confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and phosphatidylserine exposure on cell walls distal to the infection site, as detected by Annexin V FLUOS-CLSM. These two responses may facilitate cell killing and enhance transportation of cell wall materials used for cell wall thickening, respectively. The cells beneath the necrotic tissue were enlarged and divided to form periclinal cell walls, resulting in extensive formation of several parallel boundary layers at the later stages of infection, accompanying the deposition of wall fortification materials for strengthening structural defenses. These results suggest that nonhost resistance of chili pepper fruit against the nonhost necrotrophic pathogen Xag 8ra is activated systematically from the initial infection until termination of the infection cycle, resulting in complete inhibition of bacterial pathogenesis by utilizing organspecific in situ physiological events governed by the expression of genes in the plant fruit organ.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-51
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• 2013

One of the most important limiting factors for the production of the grafted cactus in Korea is the qualitative and quantitative yield loss derived from stem rots especially caused by Bipolaris cactivora. This study is aimed to develop microbial control agents useful for the control of the bipolaris stem rot. Two bacteria (GA1-23 and GA4-4) selected out of 943 microbial isolates because of their strong antibiotic activity against B. cactivora were identified as Bacillus subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, respectively, by the cultural characteristics, Biolog program and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses. Both bacterial isolates significantly inhibited the conidial germination and mycelial growth of the pathogen with no significant difference between the two, of which the inhibitory efficacies varied depending on the cultural conditions such as temperature, nutritional compositions and concentrations. Light and electron microscopy of the pathogen treated with the bacterial isolates showed the inhibition of spore germination with initial malformation of germ tubes and later formation of circle-like vesicles with no hyphal growth and hyphal disruption sometimes accompanied by hyphal swellings and shrinkages adjacent to the bacteria, suggesting their antibiotic mode of antagonistic activity. Control efficacy of B. subtilis GA1-23 and B. amyloliquefaciens GA4-4 on the cactus stem rot were not as high as but comparable to that of fungicide difenoconazole when they were treated simultaneously at the time of pathogen inoculation. All of these results suggest the two bacterial isolates have a good potential to be developed as biocontrol agents for the bipolaris stem rot of the grafted cactus.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 2022

Seed-borne pathogens in crops reduce the seed germination rate and hamper seedling growth, leading to significant yield loss. Due to the growing concerns about environmental damage and the development of resistance to agrochemicals among pathogen populations, there is a strong demand for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic chemicals in agriculture. It has been well established during the last few decades that plant seeds harbor diverse microbes, some of which are vertically transmitted and important for plant health and productivity. In this study, we isolated culturable endophytic bacteria and fungi from soybean seeds and evaluated their antagonistic activities against common bacterial and fungal seed-borne pathogens of soybean. A total of 87 bacterial isolates and 66 fungal isolates were obtained. Sequencing of 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer amplicon showed that these isolates correspond to 30 and 15 different species of bacteria and fungi, respectively. Our antibacterial and antifungal activity assay showed that four fungal species and nine bacterial species have the potential to suppress the growth of at least one seed-borne pathogen tested in the study. Among them, Pseudomonas koreensis appears to have strong antagonistic activities across all the pathogens. Our collection of soybean seed endophytes would be a valuable resource not only for studying biology and ecology of seed endophytes but also for practical deployment of seed endophytes toward crop protection.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.299-303
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• 2014

This study aims to isolate and identify the causal pathogen of tomato bacterial wilt in Egypt. In 2008, tomato plants showing typical symptoms of bacterial wilt disease with no foliar yellowing were observed in Minia, Assiut and Sohag governorates, Egypt. When cut stems of symptomatic plants were submerged in water, whitish ooze was evident and longitudinal sections showed a brown discoloration in the vascular tissues. Bacteria were isolated on triphenyl tetrazolium chloride medium and fifteen isolates shown typical morphological and cultural characteristics were confirmed as Ralstonia solanacearum biovar 2 race 1. Pathogenicity tests showed that all isolates proved to be pathogenic to tomato plants, varied from 52 to 97% wilting. This is the first report of R. solanacearum biovar 2 race 1 causing bacterial wilt in tomato crop in Egypt.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 2019

Many of the fungicides and antibiotics currently available against plant pathogens are of limited use due to the emergence of resistant strains. In this study, we examined the effects of diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPIC), an inhibitor of the superoxide producing enzyme NADPH oxidase, against fungal and bacterial plant pathogens. We found that DPIC inhibits fungal spore germination and bacterial cell proliferation. In addition, we demonstrated the potent antibacterial activity of DPIC using rice heads infected with the bacterial pathogen Burkholderia glumae which causes bacterial panicle blight (BPB). We found that treatment with DPIC reduced BPB when applied during the initial flowering stage of the rice heads. These results suggest that DPIC could serve as a new and useful antimicrobial agent in agriculture.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2011

Two antifungal bacteria were selected from forest soils during the screening of microorganisms antagonistic to Cylindrocarpon destructans, a cause of ginseng root rot. The antifungal bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis (I4) and B. amyloliquefaciens (yD16) based on physiological and cultural characteristics, the Biolog program, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Antagonistic activity of both bacterial isolates to C. destructans increased with increasing temperature. More rapid starch hydrolytic activity of the bacteria was seen on starch agar at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures, and in the higher density inoculum treatment than in the lower density inoculum treatment. The bacterial isolates failed to colonize ginseng root the root tissues inoculated with the bacteria alone at an inoculum density of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml, but succeeded in colonizing the root tissues co-inoculated with the bacteria and C. destructans. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pathogen was damaged by the low-density inoculum treatment with the bacterial isolates as much as by the high-density inoculum treatment. Both bacterial isolates were more effective in reducing root rot when they were treated at a concentration of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml than at $1{\times}10^8$ cfu/ml. Also, only the former treatment induced prominent wound periderm formation, related to structural defense against pathogen infection. The results suggest that the bacterial antagonists may have high potential as biocontrol agents against ginseng root rot at relatively low-inoculum concentrations.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 2018

Bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis is considered to be one of the most serious diseases, leading to economic damage to tomato worldwide. Diagnosis of the bacterial canker on tomato is known to be difficult because the causal pathogen is slow-growing on artificial media as well as causes latent infection in tomato. In this study, as a less time-consuming method, a specific primer set was newly designed for rapid detection of C. michiganensis. The method presented here is so simple, easy, and fast that it can be useful and practical in direct detection of the bacterial canker pathogen from tomato plants.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.773-787
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• 2014

Bacterial pustule of soybean caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines is one of the most prevalent bacterial diseases in many areas where soybeans are grown. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of cultivars, sowing date and cropping system on the suppression of soybean bacterial pustule in the field. One hundred soybean cultivars were screened for disease resistance against bacterial pustule in naturally infested field. Among them, fourteen cultivars including 'Pureun' were found to be high resistant. And thirty cultivars showed to be moderate resistant(less than 3% of diseased leaf area). When Soybean cultivar 'Taekwang' were sown in four different dates, May 25, June 5, June 15, and June 25, at 10 day-interval in Milyang, the diseased leaf area of bacterial pustule was 23.3%-25.7%, 14.7%-18.0%, 10.7%-12.8%, and 1.0%-2.7%, respectively. The lowest percentage of diseased leaf area was recorded in the plots sown on June 25, whereas the highest percentage of diseased leaf area was recorded in the plot sown on May 25. As sowing time was delayed, incidence of soybean bacterial pustule found to be comparatively reduced. From December in 2006 to June in 2007, we surveyed the pathogen population of soybean bacterial pustule in five cropping upland soils where soybean was cultivated. The survey result showed the bacterial pustule pathogens were detected from the all cropping soils. The pathogen populations of soybean bacterial pustule in soybean-barley and soybean-garlic cropping soil were significantly lower than that of the other cropping soils. In addition, the incidence of soybean bacterial pustule was decreased under the two cropping systems.