Antimicrobial and entomopathogenic properties of various strains of Pseudomonas aureofaciens

Antagonistic and entomopathogenic properties of ten strains of Pseudomonas aureofaciens were examined. There was a parallelism of their abilities to produce derivatives of phenazine displaying an antibiotic activity and their inhibitory effects on the growth of phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria, including ice-nucleating strains of Pseudomonas syringae. Strains of P. aureofaciens limited the population size of fifth-instar larvae of apple codling moth (26-85% mortality) and fourth-instar larvae of Colorado beetle (25-30% mortality). The insect mortality was due to septicemia and the effects of an entomopathogenic toxin. Strains of P. aureofaciens were shown to be resistant to chemical means of plant protection.