Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Enterobacter cloacae PS14 and Trichoderma asperellum T34 in the control of potato wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith), under greenhouse and field conditions. In vitro, the endophyte E. cloacae PS14 caused the highest reduction of the pathogen growth among 7 screened bacteria. It produced an inhibition zone as 16.9 mm compared to a specific antibiotic (20.0 mm). E. cloacae PS14 was selected as an effective antagonistic bacterium to be compared to T. asperellum strain T34 for reduction of the disease as well as increasing the crop yield of potato plants. Both E. cloacae and T. asperellum reduced the disease severity up to 10.7-26.5%, respectively, under greenhouse and up to 26.6-36.6%, respectively, under field conditions. The results approved that both E. cloacae and T. asperellum increased the yield of the crop by 20.44-40.96%, respectively. Their mode of action was indicated by suppression of the pathogen as well as induction of plant systemic resistance. The induction of systemic resistance was confirmed by increasing the total phenol and salicylic acid contents as well as increasing the activities of peroxidase, lipoxygenase, and polyphenol oxidase in potato plants than the healthy or only infected plants. Production of siderophore, indole-3-acetic acid (0.577-0.884 mu M), hydrogen cyanide (2.34-3.61 mu g/ml), and salicylic acid (0.436-1.488 mu g/ml) was confirmed by E. cloacae PS14 and T. asperellum T34, respectively, in vitro. The study recommends the new strain E. cloacae PS14, as new endophytic effective bacteria, in the control of R. solanacearum causing the potato wilt disease.