Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) by Pseudomonas spp. impairs pre- and post-infection development of Pythium aphanidermatum on cucumber roots

The effect of induced systemic resistance (ISR) by Pseudomonas rhizobacteria on the pre- and post-infection development of Pythium aphanidermatum on cucumber roots was investigated. Cucumber plants (cv. Corona) were grown in vermiculite, roots were split with one side bacterized with Pseudomonas corrugata strain 13 or P. aureofaciens strain 63-28 (bacterized roots) and the other distant side was treated with water (distant, induced roots). For the non-induced control, roots on the bacterized side were treated with buffer instead of the bacterial treatment. Intact, non-split roots were also treated with the bacteria or buffer as a control. Cucumber root tissue from these treatments were harvested and incubated with a zoospore suspension of P. aphanidermatum for three hours. Most of the zoospores in the suspension were stimulated to encyst or germinate. The numbers of germinated zoospores were significantly decreased on distant induced cucumber roots in comparison to non-induced controls. Germination was also reduced on intact bacterized roots, compared to controls. There was less attachment, germ tube production and penetration on roots bacterized or induced by the rhizobacteria compared to non-induced roots. Effects were significantly greater on bacterized roots (roots colonized by bacteria) compared to distant induced roots (roots with the opposite side bacterized). Systemic resistance induced by the two Pseudomonas spp. also reduced pathogen spread on split cucumber roots in planta. Crown infection from induced or bacterized roots was delayed for four to six days in comparison to the non-induced control. Results indicated that Pseudomonas spp. can exert both an indirect influence on P. aphanidermatum zoospore behaviour and infection via induced systemic resistance (ISR) and a local influence via antibiosis or local induced resistance.