Bacillus subtilis CH13: a highly effective biocontrol agent for the integrated management of plant diseases

Abstract: Bacillus subtilis CH13 is a commercially important bacterium with proven plant growth promoting and biocontrol abilities. Here we report the results of the 2-year biocontrol trials with CH13 on different cultivars of cabbage and potato grown in fields naturally infected with phytopathogens. Application of B. subtilis CH13 at cell concentration of 108 CFU/ml throughout the growing season resulted in a significant reduction of disease incidence and a yield increase, compared to untreated control. Analysis of the CH13 genome sequence revealed that this strain is genetically closely related (99.98% identity) to B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42. Similarly to FZB42, CH13 has a remarkable genomic potential for synthesizing numerous biocontrol metabolites, including lipopeptide antibiotics, siderophores and volatiles. Overall, our data suggests that incorporating CH13 into conventional agricultural system provides an effective, environmentally sound approach for the control of phytopathogens and the improvement of agricultural productivity.