TITLE [EFFICIENCY OF SOME TYPES OF BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH CUCUMBER ROOTS AGAINST THE RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI]
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36103/f2f8w276Keywords:
Bacillus sp, biological control, Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria, root rot diseaseAbstract
This study was carried out in the laboratories of the Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture, to isolate bacteria associated with cucumber roots from greenhouses in Baghdad, Salah al-Din, Sulaymaniyah, and Basra, and to evaluate their ability to inhibit Rhizoctonia solani, the causal agent of cucumber root rot, on Potato dextrose agar ( PDA) medium. A total of 12 bacterial isolates were obtained from healthy cucumber root-associated soil. These isolates varied in type depending on collection site and environmental conditions. All isolates demonstrated high inhibitory activity against R. solani, with fungal colony diameters ranging from 1.17 to 6.63 cm and inhibition rates between 26.3% and 87.0% compared to the control. Molecular identification using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed on three isolates: Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus rugosus. Their nucleotide sequences were submitted to the GenBank database under accession numbers PP935479.1, PP935461.1, and PP934669.1, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of native bacterial isolates as biocontrol agents against cucumber root rot.
Received: 16/3/2025
Accepted: 13/7/2025
Published: 31/7/2026
References
Afifi, M. M. I., Ismail, A. M., Kamel, S. M., & Essa, T. A. (2017). Humic substances: A powerful tool for controlling Fusarium wilt disease and improving the growth of cucumber plants. Journal of Plant Pathology, 99, 61–67. https://doi.org/10.4454/jpp.v99i1.3810
Al-Fadhal, F. A., Al-Abedy, A. N., & Alkhafije, D. A. (2019). Isolation and molecular identification of Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani isolated from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and their control feasibility by Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, 29, Article 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-019-0145-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-019-0145-5
Al-Khafaji, D. A., & Al-Fadhal, F. A. (2019). Effect of Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens in reducing cucumber seed rot and seedlings death caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani in greenhouse conditions. Kufa Journal for Agricultural Sciences, 11(1).
Babu, G. P., Chakravarthy, D., Kumar, K. J., & Paramageetham, C. (2013). Plant growth promoting and disease suppressing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from Seshachalam Hills of Eastern Ghats. Asian Journal of Experimental Biological Sciences, 4(2), 306–309.
Bhattacharya, D., de los Santos Villalobos, S., Ruiz, V. V., et al. (2020). Bacillus rugosus sp. nov. producer of a diketopiperazine antimicrobial, isolated from marine sponge Spongia officinalis L. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 113, 1675–1687. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-020-01472-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-020-01472-9
Carroll, L. M., Cheng, M. A., Wiedmann, M., & Kovac, J. (2021). Keeping up with the Bacillus cereus group: Taxonomy through the genomics era and beyond. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62(28), 7677–7702. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1916735 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1916735
Compant, S., Duffy, B., Nowak, J., Clement, C., & Barka, E. A. (2005). Use of plant growth promoting bacteria for biocontrol of plant diseases: Principles, mechanisms of action, and future prospects. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71(9), 4951–4959. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.71.9.4951-4959.2005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.71.9.4951-4959.2005
Dietrich, R., Jessberger, N., Ehling-Schulz, M., Märtlbauer, E., & Granum, P. E. (2021). The food poisoning toxins of Bacillus cereus. Toxins, 13(2), Article 98. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13020098 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13020098
Elagamey, E., Abdellatef, M., Kamel, S., & Essa, T. (2020). Fusarium oxysporum isolates collected from the same geographical zone exhibited variations in disease severity and diversity in morphological and molecular characters. Egyptian Journal of Phytopathology, 48(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejp.2020.129068 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/ejp.2020.129068
Fasusi, O. A., Cruz, C., & Babalola, O. (2021). Agricultural sustainability: Microbial biofertilizers in rhizosphere management. Agriculture, 11(2), Article 163. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020163 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020163
Frank, J. A., Reich, C. I., Sharma, S., Weisbaum, J. S., Wilson, B. A., & Olsen, G. J. (2008). Critical evaluation of two primers commonly used for amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 74(8), 2461–2470. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02272-07 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02272-07
. Gabrekiristos, E., & Demiyo, T. (2020). Hot pepper Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici): Epidemics, characteristic features and management options. Journal of Agricultural Science, 12(10), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v12n10p347 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v12n10p347
Hallaj-Nezhadi, S., Hamdipour, R., Shahrvirani, M., et al. (2022). Antimicrobial activity of Bacillus sp. isolated strains of wild honey. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 22, Article 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-022-03551-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-022-03551-y
Helgason, E., Økstad, O. A., Caugant, D. A., Johansen, H. A., Fouet, A., Mock, M., Hegna, I., & Kolstø, A. (2000). Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis—one species on the basis of genetic evidence. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 66(6), 2627–2630. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.6.2627-2630.2000 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.6.2627-2630.2000
Heo, Y., Lee, Y., Balaraju, K., & Jeon, Y. (2024). Characterization and evaluation of Bacillus subtilis GYUN-2311 as a biocontrol agent against Colletotrichum spp. on apple and hot pepper in Korea. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, Article 1322641. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1322641 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1322641
Hernandez-Leon, R., Rojas-Solis, D., Contreras-Perez, M., Orozco-Mosqueda, M. C., Macias-Rodriguez, L. L., Reyes-de la Cruz, H., Valencia-Cantero, E., & Santoyo, G. (2015). Characterization of the antifungal and plant growth-promoting effects of diffusible and volatile organic compounds produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens strains. Biological Control, 81, 83–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.11.011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.11.011
Hussein, S. N., Safaie, N., Shamsbakhsh, M., & Al-Juboory, H. H. (2024). Harnessing rhizobacteria: Isolation, identification, and antifungal potential against soil pathogens. Heliyon, 10(13), Article e35430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35430 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35430
Jangid, K., Williams, A. J., Franzluebbers, A. J., Sanderlin, J. S., Reeves, J. H., Jenkins, M. B., Endale, D. M., Coleman, D. C., & Whitman, W. B. (2008). Relative impacts of land-use, management intensity and fertilization upon soil microbial community structure in agricultural systems. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 40(11), 2843–2853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.07.030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.07.030
Kumar, S., Stecher, G., Li, M., Cnyaz, C., & Tamura, K. (2018). MEGA X: Molecular evolutionary genetics analysis across computing platforms. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35(6), 1547–1549. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy096 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy096
Montealegre, J. R., Rodrigo, R., Luz, M. P., Rodrigo, H., Polyana, S., & Ximena, X. B. (2003). Selection of bioantagonistic bacteria to be used in biological control of Rhizoctonia solani in tomato. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 6(2), 115–127. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-34582003000200006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2225/vol6-issue2-fulltext-8
Muhire, B. M., Varsani, A., & Martin, D. P. (2014). SDT: A virus classification tool based on pairwise sequence alignment and identity calculation. PLoS ONE, 9(9), Article e108277. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108277 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108277
Nicolopoulou-Stamati, P., Maipas, S., Kotampasi, C., Stamatis, P., & Hens, L. (2016). Chemical pesticides and human health: The urgent need for a new concept in agriculture. Frontiers in Public Health, 4, Article 148. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2016.00148 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2016.00148
Omara, R. I., Essa, T. A., Khalil, A. A., & Elsharkawy, M. M. (2020). A case study of non-traditional treatments for the control of wheat stem rust disease. Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, 30, Article 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-020-00284-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-020-00284-3
Prasad, M., Srinivasan, M., Chaudhary, M., Choudhary, M., & Jat, L. K. (2019). Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for sustainable agriculture: Perspectives and challenges. In PGPR for Sustainable Agriculture (pp. 129–157). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815879-1.00007-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815879-1.00007-0
Prashanthi, R., Shreevatsa, G. K., Krupalini, S., & Manoj, L. (2021). Isolation, characterization, and molecular identification of soil bacteria showing antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria. Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 19, Article 120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43141-021-00219-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43141-021-00219-x
Radhakrishnan, R., Hashem, A., & Abd_Allah, E. F. (2017). Bacillus: A biological tool for crop improvement through bio-molecular changes in adverse environments. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, Article 667. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00667 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00667
Salem, M. A., Ismail, M. A., Radwan, K. H., & Abd-Elhalim, H. M. (2024). Unlocking the potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to enhance drought tolerance in Egyptian wheat (Triticum aestivum). Sustainability, 16(11), Article 4605. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114605 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114605
Singh, R., Tiwari, S., Patel, R. P., Soni, S. K., & Kalra, A. (2018). Bioinoculants and AM fungus colonized nursery improved management of complex root disease of Coleus forskohlii Briq. under field conditions. Biological Control, 122, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.03.015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.03.015
Singh, S., Balodi, R., Meena, P. N., & Singhal, S. (2021). Biocontrol activity of Trichoderma harzianum, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens against Meloidogyne incognita, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani. Indian Phytopathology, 74(3), 703–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-021-00368-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42360-021-00368-6
Šišić, A., Baćanović, J., Al-Hatmi, A. M., Karlovsky, P., Ahmed, S. A., & Maier, W. (2018). The ‘forma specialis’ issue in Fusarium: A case study in Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi. Scientific Reports, 8(1), Article 1252. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19779-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19779-z
Sujatha, P., Kumar, B. N., & Kalarani, V. (2012). Isolation, characterization and molecular identification of bacteria from tannery effluent using 16S rRNA sequencing. Current Biotica, 6, 198–207.
Szalay, J. (2017). Cucumbers: Health benefits and nutrition facts. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/51000-cucumber-nutrition.html
ValanArasu, M., & Al-Dhabi, N. A. (2023). Biological control of root rot disease-causing Rhizoctonia solani in tomato plant by an endophytic fungus and analysis of growth promoting activities in greenhouse and field. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, 127, Article 102080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102080 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102080
Vignatti, P., Gonzalez, M. E., Jofré, E. C., Bolívar-Anillo, H. J., Moraga, J., Viaud, M., & Pieckenstain, F. L. (2020). Botrydial confers Botrytis cinerea the ability to antagonize soil and phyllospheric bacteria. Fungal Biology, 124(1), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2019.11.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2019.11.003
Wang, M., Sun, Y., Sun, G., Liu, X., Zhai, L., Shen, Q., & Guo, S. (2015). Water balance altered in cucumber plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. Scientific Reports, 5, Article 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep07722 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep07722
Zalma, S., & El-Sharoud, W. (2021). Diverse thermophilic Bacillus species with multiple biotechnological activities are associated within the Egyptian soil and compost samples. Science Progress, 104(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504211055277 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504211055277
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ibrahim A. Ibrahim , Hurria H. Al-Juboory

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2.jpg)
