Development of New Biocontrol Strains from Washington Native Trees
Author: Sharon Doty
Published: 2022
Summary: A largely untapped resource for new biocontrol strains is the natural plant microbiome of Washington native trees and shrubs. In high-stress environments, plants use partnerships with beneficial bacteria to defend themselves against fungal pathogens. Natural selection for host protection through microbial interactions provides a potential pool of beneficial microorganisms for use in agriculture. Our laboratory previously identified and characterized over a dozen endophyte strains from wild poplar trees that inhibited the growth of the agriculturally important plant pathogens Rhizoctonia solani AG-8, Fusarium culmorum, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, and Pythium ultimum. By focusing on endophytes, the microorganisms within plants, they could inhibit pathogens from within the trees, as well as on the plant and fruit surfaces, ultimately reducing application costs and improving long-term effectiveness.
