ARS | Publication request: Evaluation of Pseudomonas syringae Strain ESC11 for Biocontrol of Crown Rot and Anthracnose of Banana

Submitted to: Biocontrol
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 30, 2008
Publication Date: August 6, 2008
Citation: Williamson, S.M., Guzman, M., Marin, D.H., Anas, O., Jin, X., Sutton, T.B. 2008. Evaluation of Pseudomonas syringae Strain ESC11 for Biocontrol of Crown Rot and Anthracnose of Banana. Biocontrol. 46:279-286.

Interpretive Summary: Crown rot is an important disease of banana caused by fungi. Control of banana crown rot includes post harvest treatment with fungicides which has lead to an interest in reducing post harvest chemical use on fruits and vegetables because of concerns for human health and the environment. The beneficial bacterium, Pseudomonas syringae in combination with low concentrations of fungicide was found to reduce banana crown rot. This fungicide will be useful in resistance management strategies when combined with lower rates of fungicides, especially in area where resistant isolates of crown rot fungi have been detected.

Technical Abstract: Pseudomonas syringae strain ESC11, and 250 'g/ml each of thiabendazole (TBZ) and imazalil reduced crown rot of banana caused by a Fusarium sp. by 0-88% and 73-88%, respectively, in laboratory experiments. ESC11 alone did not significantly reduce rot, mold, or anthracnose in most field trials. TBZ and imazalil, and a combination of fungicide, aluminum ammonium sulfate, and ESC11 provided the best control; however, these treatments were often not significantly different from control by ESC11 alone. When fruit were inoculated with crown rot pathogens, ESC11 reduced the rot index by 15-26% and the mold index by 6-40%, treatment with fungicide reduced rot 25-94% and mold by 7-45%, and treatment with fungicide and ESC11 reduced the rot index by 0-94% and the mold index by 8-78%. In three field trials, the latex staining index was low and there was no significant difference among treatments for latex staining whether or not they included aluminum. Results regarding anthracnose were variable and inconclusive.