Protection of Hot Pepper Againts Multiple Infection of Viruses by Utilizing Root Colonizing Bacteria

Abstract

Mix virus infection is a common phenomena in nature. It results in severe of disease symptoms and yield loss. We utilized seven selected root colonizing bacteria (rhizobacteria) isolated from hot pepper rhizosphere to improve the effectiveness of virus management. The efficacy of those rhizobacteria in inducing plant growth and systemic resistance (ISR) on hot pepper against multiple infection of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and Chili veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV) were evaluated in greenhouse trials. The rhizobacteria was applied as seed treatment and soil drench. All bacterial treated plants showed better growth character, milder symptom expressions than control and increased the peroxidase enzyme activities and ethylene but these depends on the species. It slightly affected the accumulation of TMV, however it suppressed the ChiVMV accumulation. Based on the morphological characters and full length nucleotide sequences analysis of 16S r-RNA, Bacillus cereus (I-35) and Stenotrophomonas sp (II-10) were the potential isolates as PGPR.