Bacillus Mycoides: Systemic Induced Resistance to Control Cucurbit Pathogens

Montana Microbial Products is working to commercially develop a selected bacterium that controls plant diseases. The bacterium was isolated from sugar beets. When sprayed on sugar beets in filed trials, the bacterium induces a series of defense mechanisms in the plant, referred to as systemic induced resistance, that controls an important fungal disease. This same mechanism also controls a bacterial disease of sugar beets and greenhouse trials indicate the same mechanism controls a fungal disease of cucumber. This phase 1 SBIR project will evaluate SIR and control of representative fungal bacterial and viral diseases in cucumber as a model for a commercially important plant/pathogen system. Demonstrating control of biologically diverse pathogens would expand potential markets and establish bacterial SIR as an important new microbial control for plant diseases.