2020 Volume 49 Issue 2 Pages 98-106
To prevent fungal deterioration of house mandarin during storage and transportation, a bacterium, Bacillus pumilus TM-R, producing volatile antifungal organic compounds (VAOCs) with strong activity was applied as a biological control agent, which was an alternative to chemical fungicidal treatment. The surface of house mandarin was contaminated with conidiospores of Cladosporium cladosporioides, and the fruits were incubated with a culture of B. pumilus TM-R in a sealed container at 30℃ for 7 days. Deterioration was significantly reduced by the presence of the bacterium. VAOCs produced by the bacterium inhibited the germination of conidiospores and mycelium elongation. Among 208 bacterial isolates newly obtained from soil and manure, 6 isolates showed a stronger and wider antifungal activity. B. pumilus TM-R was, however, still the strongest in the production of VAOCs for suppressing fungal growth.