Scientists from the University of Delaware (UD) and the University of
California Davis (UC Davis) have identified a naturally occurring microbe
that inhibits the growth of rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. The
beneficial soil microbe, Pseudomonas chlororaphis EA105, lives in the soil
around rice plants and induces a system-wide defense response in rice plants
to battle the fungus.

The research is led by Harsh Bais from UD's College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources. In their study, the researchers used gene sequencing
techniques to identify 11 naturally occurring bacteria isolated from rice
plants grown in the field in California. These bacteria were then tested in
the laboratory, with P. chlororaphis EA105 demonstrating the strongest
impact on rice blast. The soil microbe reduced the formation of the
anchor-like appressoria by nearly 90 percent, while also inhibiting fungal
growth by 76 percent.

[www.dbi.udel.edu]