Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 transitorily reduces tomato bacterial wilt incidence caused by Ralstonia solanacearum under in vitro conditions

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the world's most important soil-borne plant diseases. In Martinique, French West Indies, a highly virulent new pathogenic variant of this bacterium (phylotype IIB/4NPB) severely impacts tomato production. Here we report on the effect of R. solanacearum CFBP 6783, classified in phytotype IIB/4NPB, on tomato plantlets grown under strict in vitro culture conditions in the presence or absence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833. A mycelium donor plant (i.e. Crotalaria spectabilis) was used for rapid, uniform mycorrhization of tomato plantlets that were subsequently infected by the bacterium. Bacterial wilt was significantly delayed and the incidence of the disease consequently reduced in the mycorrhizal tomato plantlets. Conversely, R. solanacearum did not affect root colonization by the AMF within the 16 days of the experiment. These results suggested that the mycorrhizal fungus was able to reduce bacterial wilt symptoms, probably by eliciting defence mechanisms in the plant.