Possible contributions of volatile-producing bacteria to soil fungistasis

Soil fungistasis can adversely affect the germination and growth of most fungal species in the field. Among the inhibitors, volatiles of microbial origins are potentially very important. In this study, we investigated the frequency and identity of bacteria producing fungistatic volatiles. Among the 1018 bacterial isolates tested, 328 were found to produce antifungal volatiles that could inhibit spore germination and mycelial growth of two nematicidal fungi Paecilomyces lilacinus and Pochonia chlamydosporia. A phylogenetic analysis based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and 16S rDNA sequence placed the 328 bacteria in five groups: Alcaligenaceae, Bacillales, Micrococcaceae, Rhizobiaceae and Xanthomonadaceae. Volatile compounds of 39 bacterial isolates were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrum (GC/MS). Tests with commercially available antifungal compounds suggested that seven volatile compounds of bacterial origins (acetamide, benzaldehyde, benzothiazole, 1-butanamine, methanamine, phenylacetaldehyde and 1-decene) likely play important roles in soil fungistasis.