DETECTION OF PHYTOPATHOGENS AGROBACTERIUM SPP. AND THEIR ANTAGONISTS BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS, ALCALIGENES FAECALIS AND LACTOBACILLUS PLANTARUM IN FLOWERS AND BERRIES OF GRAPE.

Aim. Detection of representatives of saprophytic (Bacillus thuringiensis, Alcaligenes faecalis, Lactobacillus plantarum) and pathogenic (Agrobacterium spp.) microbiota in flowers and berries of grape. Materials and Methods. Flowers, non-damaged green and ripe berries of grape were selected from a vineyard of Vitis vinifera L. cv Pinot noir located in Odessa region in May, July and September 2018, accordingly. Flowers or berries were homogenized and left for autofermentation process for 7 days. Real-Time polymerase chain reaction to detect species B. thuringiensis, L. plantarum, A. faecalis and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Agrobacterium vitis was carried out with DNA isolated from the resulted fermented homogenate. Results. B. thuringiensis was prevalent among the tested species: these bacteria were identified in 50% of samples of grape flowers, in 90% of green berries and 20% of samples of ripe berries. L. plantarum was not detected in flowers, but these bacteria were identified in green and ripe berries (10% of tested samples). Results confirm literature data about the presence of B. thuringiensis and L. plantarum on grape. For the first time, we detected A. faecalis and Agrobacterium spp. in flowers and berries of grape. A. faecalis was found in 20% of flower samples, 60% of green berries and 20% of ripe berries. Agrobacterium spp. were detected in flowers and green berries (10% of samples), and in ripe berries these microorganisms were not found. Amount of detected species increased in green berries compared with the flowers, and decreased in ripe berries. Conclusions. For the first time, we detected A. faecalis and Agrobacterium spp. in flowers and berries of grape. Coexistence of phytopathogenic agrobacteria and their potential antagonists -- Bacillus thuringiensis, Alcaligenes faecalis and Lactobacillus plantarum in one ecological niche (flowers and green grape berries) was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]