VARIATION IN SENSITIVITY OF GAEUMANNOMYCES-GRAMINIS TO ANTIBIOTICS PRODUCED BY FLUORESCENT PSEUDOMONAS SPP AND EFFECT ON BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF TAKE-ALL OF WHEAT

Isolates of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, the causal agent of take all of wheat, varied in sensitivity in vitro to the antibiotics phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) and 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl) produced by fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. shown previously to have potential for biological control of this pathogen. None of the four isolates of G. graminis var. avenae examined were sensitive to either of the antibiotics in vitro at the concentrations tested. The single isolate of G. graminis var. graminis tested was insensitive to PCA at 1.0 mu g/ml. Pseudomonas fluorescens 2-79 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84, both of which produce PCA, effectively suppressed take-all caused by each of two PCA-sensitive isolates of G. graminis var. tritici. PCA-producing strains exhibited a reduced ability or complete inability to suppress take-all caused by two of three isolates of G. graminis var. tritici that were insensitive to PCA at 1.0 mu g/ml. P. fluorescens Q2-87, which produces Phl, suppressed take-all caused by three Phl-sensitive isolates but failed to provide significant suppression of take-all caused by two isolates of G. graminis var. tritici that were insensitive to Phl at 3.0 mu g/ml. These findings affirm the role of the antibiotics PCA and Phl in the biocontrol activity of these fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and support earlier evidence that mechanisms in addition to PCA are responsible for suppression of take all by strain 2-79. The results show further that isolates of G. graminis var. tritici insensitive to PCA and Phl are present in the pathogen population and provide additional justification for the use of mixtures of Pseudomonas spp. that employ different mechanisms of pathogen suppression to manage this disease.