Vol. 50 No. 2 (2011)
Research Papers

Sinorhizobium meliloti can protect Medicago truncatula against Phoma medicaginis attack

Moncef MRABET
Centre of Biotechnology of Borj cedria, BP901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
Emna ABDELLATIF
Centre of Biotechnology of Borj cedria, BP901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
Kais ZRIBI
Centre of Biotechnology of Borj cedria, BP901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
Ridha MHAMDI
Centre of Biotechnology of Borj cedria, BP901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
Naceur DJEBALI
Centre of Biotechnology of Borj cedria, BP901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia

Published 2011-07-11

Keywords

  • In vitro antibiosis tests,
  • biocontrol assays,
  • growth parameters

How to Cite

[1]
M. MRABET, E. ABDELLATIF, K. ZRIBI, R. MHAMDI, and N. DJEBALI, “Sinorhizobium meliloti can protect Medicago truncatula against Phoma medicaginis attack”, Phytopathol. Mediterr., vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 183–191, Jul. 2011.

Abstract

The Sinorhizobium meliloti microsymbiont of Medicago spp. was used in an antibiosis test against Phoma medicaginis and in bioprotection assays of Medicago truncatula JA17 from the pathogen. Among 17 S. meliloti strains isolated from root nodules of M. truncatula and Medicago laciniata grown in Tunisian soils, six showed up to 60% growth inhibition of five P. medicaginis strains isolated from infected field-grown M. truncatula. Two S. meliloti strains with differing in vitro effects on P. medicaginis, 10.16/R6 antagonist and 5M6 non antagonist, were used in a bioprotection assay of M. truncatula JA17 from the pathogen. The inoculation of P. medicaginis caused complete root and stem rotting, and the mortality of all treated plantlets. Inoculation of the antagonist S. meliloti strain 10.16/R6 to M. truncatula JA17 infected with P. medicaginis was associated with a significant 65% decrease of vegetative rotting length, an 80% decrease of plant mortality, an increase of root length, and enhancement of root and shoot biomass comparatively to control plantlets treated with P. medicaginis. The inoculation of the non antagonistic S. meliloti strain 5M6 slightly decreased disease and slightly increased plant growth parameters.

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