BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ANTHRACNOSE CROWN ROT IN STRAWBERRY USING BACILLUS VELEZENSIS NSB-1

Bacillus velezensis NSB-1 isolate, selected from strawberry leaves in Korea, has shown levels of antagonism towards Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the causal organism of anthracnose crown rot (ACR) in vitro. The isolate was identified as B. velezensis based on morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics. NSB-1 was evaluated for control of ACR of strawberry cultivar ‘Seolhyang’ in pot or field trials conducted in Nonsan. In the pot trials, the optimum concentration of NSB-1 to control ACR was 107 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml, and protective and curative control efficacy were 76.5 and 65.0%, respectively. In the 2009, 2010 and 2011 nursery field trials, the biological control efficacy of NSB-1 was similar to that of a conventional fungicide when compared with a non-treated control. Therefore, the results indicate that B. velezensis NSB-1 might have potential to control ACR in strawberries.