Plant Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Organic Matter Decomposition Level On Bacterial Species Diversity And Composition In Relationship To Pythium Damping-Off Severity, Michael J. Boehm, L.V. Mdden, H.A.J. Hoitink

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from root tip segments of cucumber seedlings grown in a suppressive, slightly decomposed light-colored peat mix, a conducive, more decomposed dark-colored peat mix, and a suppressive dark peat mix amended with composted hardwood bark. The bacteria were identified by a gas chromatographic fatty acid methyl ester analysis. The total number of taxa recovered from a single root tip segment ranged from 9 to 18. No single taxon predominated on all root tip segments harvested from any of the mixes. The highest relative population density reached by a given taxon on any root tip segment was 45%. …