Biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola on Dutch white cabbage by bacterial antagonists at cold‐store temperatures

Bacterial antagonists against Botrytis cinerea were isolated from different Brassica spp. and identified. All isolates showing in vitro antagonism at 4°C were shown to be either fluorescent pseudomonads or Serratia spp. In vitro antagonism against B. cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola was found to depend on the temperature and concentration of nutrients in the medium. Bacterial strains which showed in vitro antagonism were tested for in vivo antagonism at 4°C against B. cinerea and A. brassicicola using a leaf disc bioassay. Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates CL42, CL66, CL82 and Serratia plymuthica strain CL43 showed inhibition of Botrytis growth on leaf discs; P. fluorescens isolate CL74 and all Serratia liquefaciens isolates exhibited intermediate control. All other fluorescent pseudomonad isolates showed poor control or caused rotting of the cabbage tissue.