Direct microscopy of Bacillus endospore germination in soil microcosms

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology Vol. 89; no. 4; pp. 595 - 598
• Main Authors: Thrane, C, Olsson, S, Wolstrup, J, Sorensen, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Science 01.10.2000; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: additives; Alanine - pharmacology; Animals; Bacillus; Bacillus (bacteria); Bacillus - drug effects; Bacillus - growth & development; Bacillus - physiology; Bacillus subtilis - drug effects; Bacillus subtilis - growth & development; Bacillus subtilis - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Cattle; coatings; Control; Culture Media; endospores; fluorescence microscopy; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal antagonists; Fungal plant pathogens; germination; Glucose - pharmacology; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Milk; Paenibacillus polymyxa; pathogens; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plant protection; Potassium Chloride - pharmacology; seed dressings; skim milk; soil; soil ecology; Soil Microbiology; Spores, Bacterial; Cost minimization; Paenibacillus polymyxa; Plant pathogen; Biological control; Phycomycetes; Beta vulgaris var. saccharata; Spores; Fungi; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Bacteria; Rhizoctonia solani; Fungi Imperfecti; Monitoring; Thallophyta; Germination; Skimmilk; Method; Sugar plant; Chenopodiaceae; Soils; Pythium ultimum; Seed coating; Spermatophyta; Fluorescence microscopy
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2672.2000.01155.x

Antagonistic endospore-forming Bacillus spp. offer a large potential as seed inoculants for control of soil-borne pathogens. In the soil, however, inoculated Bacillus endospores may remain dormant without germination, and plant protection can therefore be inefficient and unpredictable. A method based on direct fluorescence microscopy in soil microcosms was used to determine whether low-cost organic additives incorporated into seed coating material could stimulate endospore germination. Complex organic additives supported a high level of endospore germination of the fungal antagonist Paenibacillus polymyxa CM5-5. Skim milk is a low-cost additive that may be incorporated into seed coating material for efficient induction of Bacillus endospore germination in soil.