Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, a genetically diverse soil-borne pathogen with a wide host range, is a devastating plant vascular disease (Hayward, 1991). No effective chemical product is available for Ralstonia-induced wilt. Alternative methods such as biological control agents (BCAs) have shown effectiveness. Bacillus subtilis is a non-pathogenic bacterium that lives in soil, often in association with roots of higher plants and it also produces a variety of biologically active compounds with a broad spectrum of activities towards phytopathogens and that are able to induce host systemic resistance. |
