The biological control of plant diseases using beneficial rhizobacteria
is an environmentally friendly method that exhibits good
potential for use in ecologically friendly programs of disease management.
Members of the genus Bacillus are known to suppress
various plant diseases, such as anthracnose in red peppers [3],
mangos and wax apples [4], as well as root rot in ginseng caused by
Fusarium cf. incarnatum and Cylindrocarpon destructans [5,6].
Furthermore, Bacillus subtilis has been reported to be relatively
benign to humans and several B. subtilis strains are listed by the
Organic Materials Review Institute [7]. Several active compounds
with potentially inhibitory effects on pathogen growth have been
identified in B. subtilis and many of these compounds have shown
antibiotic activity against anthracnose inmangos andwax apples [4].
Although the use of B. subtilis as a biological control agent for
anthracnose in ginseng plants has been proposed, the effects of this
species or other members of the genus Bacillus have not been
evaluated for their activity against C. panacicola. In this study, we
evaluated the antifungal activity of B. subtilis HK-CSM-1 against
C. panacicola.We also verified whether its antagonism towards the
growth of C. panacicola could be used as a criterion in the protection
of ginseng plants from anthracnose disease.