Potential of Microbispora sp. V2 as biocontrol agent against Sclerotium rolfsii, the causative agent of southern blight of Zea mays L (Baby corn)–in vitro studies.

The study was undertaken with the aim of exploring novel and beneficial agro activities of rare actinomycetes like Microbispora sp. V2. The antagonistic activity of Microbispora sp. V2 was evaluated as a biocontrol agents against Sclerotium rolfsii, a soil-borne fungal plant pathogen. The methodology performed for evaluation of biocontrol agent was in vitro evaluation assay which comprised of three tests viz., cellophane overlay technique, seed germination test and Thiram (fungicide) tolerance of Microbispora sp. V2. The isolate was found to inhibit the fungal pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii to 91.43% in cellophane assay. In seed germination assay, Microbispora sp. V2 treated seeds resulted in 25.75% increased germination efficiency, as compared to seeds infected by Sclerotium rolfsii. The isolate Microbispora sp. V2 could tolerate 1000 µg mL-1 of Thiram (fungicide). The in vitro assay studies proved that Microbispora sp. V2 can be used as antifungal antagonist and thus posses’ great potential as biocontrol agent against southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Zea mays L (Baby corn) which causes large economical losses.

Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric studies on interaction of cationic dyes with bacterial capsular polysaccharide.

Interaction of Klebsiella K14 capsular polysaccharide with cationic dyes pinacyanol chloride, acridine orange and phenosafranin has been studied by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric techniques. The polymer containing both glucuronic acid and pyruvic acid in its repeating unit behaved as a unique polyelectrolyte. It induced blue shift of the absorption band of pinacyanol chloride indicating strong metachromasy. Stoichiometry of the polyanion and the dye cations in the polymer-dye compound (1:2) indicated that both glucuronic acid and pyruvic acid acted as potential anionic sites for interaction with the cationic dye molecules. The stoichiometry of anionic site (of polyanion): cationic site (of dye) in the polymer dye compound was calculated as 1:1. Interaction of the polymer with acridine orange and phenosafranin dyes studied by fluorescence measurements demonstrated Stern-Volmer type of quenching. Equivalent weight of the polymer was determined by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric titrations. From the present studies chromotropic property of the polymer was established.