Streptomyces plicatus as a model biocontrol agent.

Three hundred and seventy two isolates belonging to the genus Streptomyces were isolated and screened for chitinase production. Streptomyces plicatus was found to be the best producer. The highest chitinase production were incubated for 3 d at 30 degrees C on buffered culture medium (pH 8.0) containing chitin plus sucrose and calcium nitrate as carbon and nitrogen sources. S. plicatus chitinase had a highly significant inhibitory effect on spore germination, germ tube elongation and radial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, Altrernaria alternata and Verticillium albo-atrum, the causal organisms of Fusarium wilt, stem canker and Verticillium wilt diseases of tomato. Application of S. plicatus to the root system of tomato plants before transplantation markedly protected tomato plants against the tested phytopathogenic fungi in vivo.