3-methylthiopropanoic acid produced by Enterobacter intermedium 60-2G inhibits fungal growth and weed seedling development.

A wide range of soil microorganisms produce allelopathic and antimicrobial metabolites1). We isolated from the rhizosphere of grasses a phosphate-solubilizing bacterium Enterobacter intermedium 60-2G that possesses several biological functions with potential uses in agriculture5). In this paper, we identify an antimicrobial substance from this bacterium and characterize its inhibitory effects on growth of fungi and weed seedlings. To assess the antimicrobial activity of E. intermedium against plant pathogenic fungi, cubes of mycelium were inoculated into the center of PDA agar plates. The plates