Selection and appropriate culture conditions of antagonistic bacterium Bacillus altitudinis HC7 against button mushroom cobweb disease caused by Cladobotryum mycophilum
This study was conducted to selection and investigate appropriate conditions for mass production of antagonistic microbes to control cobweb disease caused by Cladobotryum mycophilum. A grampositive bacterium was isolated from spent substrate of Agaricus bisporus and showed significant antagonistic activity against Cladobotryum mycophilum. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus altitudinis. based on the cultural, biochemical and physiological characteristics, and 16S rRNA sequence. The isolate is saprophytic, but not parasitic nor pathogenic to cultivated mushroom whereas it showed strong inhibitory effects against C. mycophilum cells in vitro. The control efficacy of B. altitudinis HC7 against cobweb disease of C. mycophilum was up to 78.2% on Agaricus bisporus. The suppressive bacterium may be useful for the development of biocontrol system. To define the appropriate conditions for the mass production of the Bacillus altitudinis HC7, we have investigated appropriate culture conditions and effects of various nutrient source on the bacterial growth. The appropriate initial pH and temperature were determined as pH 6.0 and 30oC, respectively. The appropriate concentration of medium elements for the growth of pathogen inhibitor bacterium(Bacillus altitudinis HC7) was determined as follows: 3.0% soluble startch, 10% soytone, 1.0% (NH4)2HPO4, 1.0 mmol KCl, and 0.5% L-asparagine.