Synergistic Effect of Photosynthetic Bacteria and Isolated Bacteria in Their Antifungal Activities against Root Rot Fungi.

Antifungal bacteria (AB) in root rot fungus (RRF)-contaminated sweet potato farms were isolated, and seven strains were initially chosen as antagonistic candidates. An antagonistic test by using the mycelial disk placement method revealed that one AB strain by itself could inhibit the RRF growth. This AB strain was identified as Bacillus polyfermenticus based on phylogeny of 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Two AB strains (Bacillus aerophilus) displayed high levels of antifungal activity when paired with photosynthetic bacterial strain A (a purple nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas faecalis). The results suggest the possible use of the isolates as agents for the biological control of the RRF infection of agricultural products in fields of cultivation.