BACTERIA AND YEASTS FOR REDUCING FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT IN CEREALS AND SELECTION THEREOF

摘要

A method for selecting candidate microbial antagonists that will suppress Fusarium head blight (head scab) in cereals, particularly in wheat and barley relies on the ability of strains obtained from seed heads to utilize choline or betaine as a sole carbon source. Strains that are choline or betaine utilization positive are bioassayed in the seed head of a cereal plant inoculated with F. graminearum for the ability of the strains to reduce the incidence of FHB. Strains that suppress the disease are further evaluated in greenhouse and field studies. From a pool of more than 700 strains, 4 yeasts (NRRL Y-30213, NRRL Y-30214, NRRL Y-30215, and NRRL Y-30216 and 1 bacteria (NRRL B-30212) have been identified as being superior antagonists capable of suppressing head blight.