AEM
Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Knox, O. G. G.
Right arrow Articles by Wilson, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Knox, O. G. G.
Right arrow Articles by Wilson, M.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Knox, O. G. G.
Right arrow Articles by Wilson, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 2004, p. 4666-4671, Vol. 70, No. 8
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.8.4666-4671.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Nematodes on Rhizosphere Colonization by Seed-Applied Bacteria

Oliver G. G. Knox,1* Ken Killham,1 Rebekka R. E. Artz,2 Chris Mullins,1 and Michael Wilson1

School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU,1 The Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, United Kingdom2

Received 29 December 2003/ Accepted 27 April 2004

There is much interest in the use of seed-applied bacteria for biocontrol and biofertilization, and several commercial products are available. However, many attempts to use this strategy fail because the seed-applied bacteria do not colonize the rhizosphere. Mechanisms of rhizosphere colonization may involve active bacterial movement or passive transport by percolating water or plant roots. Transport by other soil biota is likely to occur, but this area has not been well studied. We hypothesized that interactions with soil nematodes may enhance colonization. To test this hypothesis, a series of microcosm experiments was carried out using two contrasting soils maintained under well-defined physical conditions where transport by mass water flow could not occur. Seed-applied Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 was capable of rhizosphere colonization at matric potentials of –10 and –40 kPa in soil without nematodes, but colonization levels were substantially increased by the presence of nematodes. Our results suggest that nematodes can have an important role in rhizosphere colonization by bacteria in soil.

* Corresponding author. Present address: CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 59, Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia 2390. Phone: 61 (02) 67991583. Fax: 61 (02) 67931186. E-mail: Oliver.Knox{at}csiro.au.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 2004, p. 4666-4671, Vol. 70, No. 8
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.8.4666-4671.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
J. Bacteriol. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. Eukaryot. Cell All ASM Journals

Copyright © 2004 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.