Biocontrol of citrus thrips using chitinase producing Achromobacter xylosoxidans bacteria
Biocontrol of citrus thrips using chitinase producing Achromobacter xylosoxidans bacteria
- Author(s) N. Sharma, J. Parshad, D.V. Pathak, B.S. Saharan and M. Kayasth
- Year: 2023
- Month: September
- Volume: 60
- Pages: 93-106
We studied 20-bacterial isolates for their ability to produce chitinase, from these 8 were selected and 3 (B1, B5, and D2) had the highest levels of chitinase activity. Based on the activity of chitinase [which generates N-acetylglucosamine units (U)], isolate B1 had the highest enzyme activity (3.905), followed by isolates B5 (3.52) and D2 (1.35). These 3-test bacterial isolates (B1, B5 and D2) with maximum chitinase activity were evaluated for their potential as biocontrol agent against thrips of citrus (kinnow: Citrus reticulata Blanco) under field conditions. C. reticulata trees were sprayed with these 3-bacterial isolates (106 cfu/ml), dimethoate phosphamide and nimbicide (at 1.5 ml/L, 2 ml/L doses respectively). The B1 isolate had the maximum biocontrol efficiency of thrips (79.66 %), against the control, which caused reduction of 37.70 %. In B1 isolate, infestation was 20 % than control (36 %). In B1 the mean population density was 0.4 compared to control (0.96). The identification of isolate B1 by 16s rDNA gene sequence confirmed that it was Achromobacter xylosoxidans.
