Research News

Faculty of Health Professions, Sameer Barghouthi, PhD

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A research article for Dr. Sameer Barghouthi and Dr. Mazen Salman in title of

“Bacterial inhibition of Orobanche aegyptiaca and Orobanche cernua radical elongation”

Was published in Biocontrol Science and Technology, Vol.20, Nos, 3-4, March-April 2010, 423-435

Abstract:

The ability of different bacteria to inhibit Orobanche radical elongation was examined.  Seeds of Orobanche aegyptiaca and O. cernua were induced to germinate with the Growth Regulator GR24 in the presence or absence of test bacterium.  Radical lengths were estimated microscopically on a scale relative to seed length (0 to 5-seed lengths) after five days of incubation at 25°C. The results indicated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa QUBC1 has significantly inhibited radical elongation (P ≤ 0.01) of both O. aegyptiaca and O. cernua relative to control radicals. Other isolates; P. fluorescence QUBC3, Bacillus atrophaeus QUBC16, and B. subtilis QUBC18 had significantly inhibited radical elongation of both O. aegyptiaca and O. cernua, whereas Microbacterium hydrocarbonoxydans QUBC11 and Ochrobactrum anthropi QUBC13 showed less inhibitory effects, other bacterial isolates showed no inhibitory effects. Orobanche seeds/plants were identified based on morphological and PCR techniques. Bacterial isolates were identified using the universal method in addition to morphological and biochemical features. The establishment of the inhibitory effect of B. atrophaeus QUBC16 and P. aeruginosa QUBC1 on radical elongation of both Orobanche spp. is a step towards utilizing such bacteria as biocontrol agents against O. aegyptiaca, O. cernua, and potentially other Orobanche species.