Screening of new bacterial isolates with antifungal activity and application of selected Bacillus sp. cultures for biocontrol of Fusarium graminearum under field conditions

This study sought to identify bacterial isolates which could be applicable for control of Fusarium graminearum in wheat. In this study, two hundred and one bacteria cultures were isolated from cereal roots and soil samples. From these, twenty-eight new bacterial isolates were screened for antifungal activity. Another eleven isolates, previously selected from the collection of the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, were analysed for antifungal activity. In this study, eight newly cultured isolates (GB31, GB41X, XJ11, XG11, B. sub2, XJ2, XJ8 and XI4), which can effectively reduce the growth of more than two F. graminearum strains in vitro, were identified. In this investigation, four laboratory-selected strains, GB31, B. sub2, MBK-a3 and MBK-r4, were evaluated for their potential for biocontrol of F. graminearum in vivo and tested under the field conditions. Results suggest the possibility of using MBK-a3 isolate to control FHB by natural antagonism.