Activity of bacterial seed endophytes of landrace durum wheat for control of Fusarium foot rot

Five bacterial endophytic isolates obtained from durum wheat seeds (landrace “Timilia reste nere”) and identified as belonging to Pantoea (isolates A1, F7, F15 and G1) and Paenibacillus (isolate B) genera on the basis of 16S rDNA gene sequences, were assayed in vitro and in vivo for their ability to inhibit Fusarium culmorum growth and the disease (Fusarium foot rot) it causes in durum wheat. All isolates significantly reduced in vitro growth of F. culmorum in comparison with the control. After 120 hours of incubation, isolates B and G1 showed the greatest mycelial growth inhibition, i.e., respectively, 76 and 74%. When durum wheat “Simeto” seeds were treated with bacterial isolates singly …