The effect of 3 antagonistic bacteria on damping-off and root rot
of cucumber seedling was also assessed as pre-plant amendment
treatments applied to infested peat mix either as cell suspension
or as peat and talc formulations. Disease pressure was very high in
the infested controls and only 3% of the cucumber seedlings were
healthy in the infested pots with a mean disease severity rating of
more than 3.5 (Fig. 3). A pre-plant treatment of all 3 bacterial
isolates applied as cell suspension drench or as peat or talc formulations
showed a significant increase in healthy cucumber seedlings
and plant fresh masses, and a significant decrease in damping-off
and root rot severity compared with the infested controls (Fig. 3).
A pre-plant amendment of noninoculated peat and talc did not
provide any protection of cucumber seedlings from damping-off
and root rot.