Antibacterial activity of root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes against plant pathogenic bacteria

Two root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes, Campylospora parvula Kuzuha and Tetracladium setigerum (Grove) Ingold were screened for their bioactivity against four plant pathogenic bacteria by preliminary and secondary antibacterial assay. In a preliminary antibacterial assay, C. parvula showed maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) against X. phaseoli (28 mm), while T. setigerum showed maximum ZOI against Xanthomonas compestris (28 mm) and the minimum ZOI was observed against Agrobacterium tumefaciens by both the test fungi. In a secondary antibacterial assay, the crude extract of C. parvula and T. setigerum showed maximum ZOI against Erwinia chrysanthemi (15 mm) and X. compestris (14 mm) respectively, while the minimum ZOI was observed against X. phaseoli (10 mm) and A. tumefaciens (9 mm) by C. parvula and T. setigerum, respectively. The present findings strongly support the use of root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes as active antibacterial agents. In future, these strains may be exploited as potent biocontrol agents against the plant pathogenic bacteria. © 2021, Society for Plant Research.