Bacillus subtilis YB-70 as a Biocontrol Agent of Fusarium solani causing Plant Root-Rot

A bacterial strain YB-70 which has powerful biocontrol activity against Fusarium solani causing plant root-rot resulting in considerable losses of many economical crops was isolated and selected from over 500 isolates from a ginseng rhizosphere in suppressive soil, and identified as a strain of Bacillus subtilis. In several biochemical and in vitro antibiosis tests on F. solani with culture filterates from B. subtilis YB-70, our data strongly indicated metabolites which mediated inhibition of the fungal growth were presumed to be heat-stable, micromolecular, and ethyl alcohol solutable antifungal substances. Suppression of root-rot by B. subtilis YB-70 was demonstrated in pot trials with eggplant (Solanum melongena L) seedlings. Treatment of the seedling with the bacterial suspension (1.7~1.9 CFU/g) in F. solani-infested soil significantly reduced disease incidences by 68 to 76% after 25 to 30 days. The results supported that B. subtilis YB-70 have excellent potentials as a biocontrol agent.