Germination of Bacillus thuringiensis spores in bacteriophagous nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida).

During screening of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates for nematicidal activity it was observed that spores of B. thuringiensis germinated in the intestine of bacteriophagous nematodes in the presence of antibiotics. This phenomenon was studied more closely by scanning electron microscopy.

A chitin-binding lectin from stinging nettle rhizomes with antifungal properties.

Rhizomes of stinging nettle contain a small-sized lectin that exhibits binding specificity toward chitin. This lectin inhibits growth of several phytopathogenic and saprophytic chitin-containing fungi in vitro. The antifungal action of the nettle lectin differs from the action of chitinases, which are a ubiquitous class of antifungal plant proteins.

Rhizobacteria of maize and their antifungal activities.

During the growing season of 1984, the rhizobacteria (including organisms from the rhizosphere soil, the rhizoplane, and internal root zones) of 47 maize plants (two varieties) sampled from different locations in France and at different growth stages were inventoried. Isolates were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of their total cell proteins and were found to represent 352 different protein electrotypes. Maize seedlings were initially colonized by a small number of different strains.