A study on microbial diversity in different cultivars of Brassica napus in relation to its wilt pathogen, Verticillium longisporum

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is one of the major oilseed crops in the world but is vulnerable to attack by many pathogens and insect pests. In addition to the host plant genotype, micro-organisms present in the rhizosphere and within plant tissues affect the susceptibility to plant pathogens. While rapid progress has been achieved concerning the concept of plant resistance genes, information on the role of the microbial community in plant protection is less apparent. We have studied the endophytic bacterial populations present in different tissues of oilseed rape and also analysed several cultivars (Express, Libraska, Maluka and Westar), which differ in their susceptibility to the wilt pathogen Verticillium longisporum. The population diversity was studied using agar plating assay, fatty acid methyl ester analysis and functional characterisation of isolated strains. Our work shows that already in the seeds there exists diversity in populations as well as in the total microbial load between two of the four tested cultivars. About 50% of the strains isolated from cultivars Express and Libraska showed moderate to strong direct inhibition of V longisporum. The diversity of the endophytic flora isolated from oilseed rape and its implications in crop protection are discussed. (C) 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.