Application of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms for Biocontrol of Root Rot Infection of Sugar Beet

The roots rot of sugar beet caused by the soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi genera Fusarium and Alternaria are serious causes yield loss in the world. In this study, the antagonistic cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of sugar beet plants. The cellulase, antifungal, and growth-promoting activities of strains were examined, and one strain Bacillus cytaseus C-82 was selected. When C-82 was tested for its fungal inhibition and biological control activity under field conditions against root rot of sugar beet, it significantly reduced the disease and increased sugar beet yields by 30–34 c/ha relative to the untreated control plants.