Using Anaerobic Bacteria in the Elimination of Plant Pathogens

By: Erik Zamarripa

Figure 1. This figure shows the changes in fungal cells during the co-incubation of pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. A. Shows intact cells on a PDA plate before adding pathogen. B. Shows changes after co-incubation for 3 days. C. Changes after co-incubation for 7 days.

There are many soil-borne pathogens that can affect the plants that are used for agriculture. For example Fusarium is a pathogen that causes spinach to wilt. Traditionally chemical fumigants such as methyl bromide and ethylene bromide would be used to chemically treat the soil for these pathogens however these have recently been restricted due to their harmful influence to atmospheric ozone and human health. Biological soil disinfestation (BSD) is the alternate process that is being looked into in order to eliminate soil-borne plant pathogens. This is a technique used to suppress plant pathogens but stimulating native microbes in the soil with the addition of organic materials. The technique is only four steps which are adding easily degradable carbon sources, irrigation of the soil to saturation, covering the soil with plastic for three weeks ( stimulates anaerobic bacteria), and finally removing plastic and planting crops. It is the stimulation of the anaerobic bacteria that causes the low survival of many plant pathogens. They create anoxic soil conditions that damage or kill aerobic pathogens and may even release antagonistic substances for soil pathogens. It is crucial to continue research into more environmentally friendly ways of dealing with plant pathogens for continued success of the agriculture production. However, these new techniques must also be efficient and effective but using anaerobic bacteria to combat soil-borne plant pathogens is a good step in that direction.

Original Article:
Atsuko U, Nobuo K, Katsuji U. (2018). Role of anaerobic bacteria in biological soil disinfestation for elimination of soil-borne plant pathogens in agriculture. ProQuest. https://search-proquest-com.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/docview/2048628616.