SIDEROPHORE PRODUCTION BY THE ISOLATES OF FLUORESCENT PSEUDOMONADS

Production of secondary metabolites including siderophores is yet another mechanism by which fluorescent pseudomonads acts as a biocontrol agent. Siderophores are secreted under iron limitation and have a very high affinity for ferric iron. The resulting ferric-siderophore complex is unavailable to other organisms, but the producing strain can utilize this complex via a specific receptor in its outer cell membrane. In this way, siderophore producing fluorescent Pseudomonads may restrict the growth of phytopathogens. In the present study the siderophore production by the isolated strains of fluorescent pseudomonads has been reviewed. Of the 22 isolates which showed the abilty to produce siderophores, 6 isolates were shown to produce catecholate type of siderophores and the remaining 16 isolates showed the presence of hydroxamate