Development of New Biocontrol Strains from Washington Native Trees
Author: Professor Sharon Doty
Published: 2021
Summary: New microbial endophyte strains were isolated from native plants in natural areas near apple tree growing areas of Wenatchee, Entiat/Okanagan, Yakima, and Methow. A total of 119 strains (15 previously characterized and 104 new isolates) were screened using in vitro assays for inhibition of the post-harvest decay pathogens, Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, Neofabraea perennans, and Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis, as well as the causal agent of fire blight, Erwinia amylovora. Two to three dozen inhibitory strains for each pathogen were identified. Preliminary rRNA sequence characterization was used to screen for isolates related to potential human pathogens and a subset of the isolates with the strongest or broadest activities was selected for full genomic sequencing.
