Management of the soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines with combinations of different rhizobacterial strains on soybean

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 3;12(8):e0182654. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182654. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most damaging soybean pest worldwide. To improve soybean resistance to SCN, we employed a soybean seed-coating strategy through combination of three rhizobacterial strains, including Bacillus simple, B. megaterium and Sinarhizobium fredii at various ratios. We found seed coating by such rhizobacterial strains at a ratio of 3:1:1 (thereafter called SN101) produced the highest germination rate and the mortality of J2 of nematodes. Then, the role of soybean seed coating by SN101 in nematode control was evaluated under both greenhouse and two field conditions in Northeast China in 2013 and 2014. Our results showed that SN101 treatment greatly reduced SCN reproduction and significantly promoted plant growth and yield production in both greenhouse and field trials, suggesting that SN101 is a promising seed-coating agent that may be used as an alternative bio-nematicide for controlling SCN in soybean fields. Our findings also demonstrate that combination of multiple rhizobacterial strains needs to be considered in the seed coating for better management of plant nematodes.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacillus / physiology*
  • China
  • Disease Resistance
  • Germination
  • Glycine max / growth & development*
  • Glycine max / microbiology
  • Glycine max / parasitology
  • Pest Control, Biological / methods
  • Plant Diseases / parasitology
  • Plant Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Sinorhizobium / physiology*
  • Tylenchoidea / physiology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201503114), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471748), and China Agriculture Research System CARS-04-PS13. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.