Microbiological nature and multi-action biocontrol mechanisms
Pseudomonas fluorescens is a beneficial, rod-shaped, gram-negative bacterium naturally occurring in healthy agricultural rhizosphere soils.
It controls plant pathogens through multiple synergistic mechanisms: producing antifungal antibiotics (phenazine, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol), chelating available iron via siderophores, and triggering systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inside the plant.
- Microbial strain: Pseudomonas fluorescens (formulated as talc-based powder or liquid bio-fungicide with high CFU counts).
- Siderophore production: Releases iron-chelating pyoverdine that starves competing pathogenic fungi of available ferric iron in the soil.
- Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR): Triggers the plant's internal defense pathways, strengthening host resistance against foliar infections.
- Growth promotion: Synthesizes indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellins, stimulating vigorous primary and lateral root growth.
Target crops and approved disease management
Pseudomonas fluorescens is registered for broad-spectrum disease suppression across cereals, pulses, oilseeds, commercial vegetables, and spices.
It is celebrated for providing natural containment of challenging vascular wilts, root rots, and bacterial blights.
- Paddy (Rice): Sheath blight, blast, and bacterial leaf blight (BLB).
- Vegetables (Tomato, Brinjal, Chilli): Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) and damping-off (Pythium).
- Pulses & Oilseeds: Fusarium wilt, collar rot, and dry root rot in pigeon pea and chickpea.
- Spices (Ginger, Turmeric): Rhizome rot and bacterial soft rot.
Application methods: seed treatment, root dip, and soil drench
To establish beneficial bacterial colonies in the root zone, Pseudomonas fluorescens should be applied preventively at early crop establishment stages.
It can be applied as a seed dressing, seedling root dip, soil drench, or organic compost enrichment.
Never mix living bio-fungicides with chemical bactericides, copper fungicides, or synthetic mercuric seed dressings.
- Seed treatment: Mix talc-based bio-formulation with seeds using a light jaggery adhesive solution prior to sowing.
- Seedling root dip: Dip roots of vegetable or paddy seedlings in a suspension for 30 minutes before transplanting.
- Soil enrichment: Mix with moist farmyard manure (FYM) or vermicompost and incubate for a few days before broadcasting.
- Chemical incompatibility: Keep at least a 7 to 10-day safety gap between bio-fungicide application and chemical fungicide sprays.
Official source
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Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is Pseudomonas fluorescens used for in agriculture?
It is a beneficial bacterium used as a bio-fungicide to control soil-borne fungal diseases and bacterial wilts, while stimulating plant root growth.
Can Pseudomonas fluorescens control bacterial wilt in tomato and brinjal?
Yes, applied as a seed treatment, root dip, and soil drench, it aggressively colonizes root systems and suppresses Ralstonia bacterial wilt.
Can Pseudomonas bio-fungicide be mixed with chemical fungicides?
No, chemical fungicides and copper sprays kill living beneficial bacteria; maintain a gap of at least 7 to 10 days between treatments.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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