Joe Kloepper  Joseph W. Kloepper
Professor
303 Life Sciences Building
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849
Phone: 334 844-1950
Fax: 334 844-5067

E-Mail:mailto:kloepjw@auburn.edu

Bacterial Strain-Identification and Mutant Analysis Service (BSI-MAS):http://www.ag.auburn.edu/dept/ent/services/bacterid.htm

 

RESEARCH AREAS:

Research has been directed at basic and applied aspects of using beneficial bacteria as microbial inoculants to promote plant growth and provide biological disease control. This work has emphasized PGPR (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) and endophytic bacteria. Fields of investigation include microbial ecology, plant and microbial physiology, effects on several pathogens, delivery systems, and mechanisms of biological control. Greenhouse and field evaluations are conducted annually to provide biological support for more basic investigations. Crop systems used currently in this work include cotton, tomato, and cucumber. Pathogens used in these studies include Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans, Colletotrichum orbiculare, Erwinia tracheiphila, and cucumber mosaic virus. Mechanism of action work includes transcriptional and translational changes in plants.

  EDUCATION:
  • 1980 Ph.D., Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley. Ph.D. Thesis: The Role of Rhizobacteria in Increasing Plant Growth and Yield. M.N. Schroth, Major Professor.
  • 1977 M.S., Plant Pathology, Colorado State University
  • 1975 B.S., Botany and Plant Pathology, Colorado State University


  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

    1992-Present Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University
    1993-1998 Head, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University
    1998-Present Director, Biological Control Institute, Auburn University
    1992 Acting Department Head, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University
    1992-1993 Director, Biological Control Institute, Auburn University
    1989-1992 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University
    1987-1989 Manager, Microbial Inoculants Allelix Agriculture, Mississauga, Ontario
    1985-1987 Group Leader, Agricultural Microbiology, Allelix Agriculture
    1983-1985 Senior Research Scientist, Allelix Inc., Mississauga, Ontario
    1982-1983 Research Scientist, Advanced Genetic Sciences, Inc., Manhattan, Kansas
    1979-1982 Assistant Professor, Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley

  UNIVERSITY TEACHING:
    Courses

             Plant-Bacterial Interactions (Graduate Course)

             Plant Disease Management

             Research Proposal Writing (Graduate Course)

             Field Survey in Plant Disease


  MAJOR PROFESSOR FOR:
         
Student Degree Year Graduated
Martinez, Natalia Ph.D. 2000
Adams, Pam Ph.D. 2000
Rivas, Maria M.S. 1999
Raupach, Georg Ph.D. 1998
Press, Caroline Ph.D. 1997
Jetiyanon, Kanchalee Ph.D. 1997
Mahaffee, Walter Ph.D. 1996
Liu, Li Ph.D.1994
Musson, George M.S. 1993
Wei, Gang Ph.D. 1993
Press, Caroline M.S. 1992
McInroy, John M.S. 1992

 
REFEREED RESEARCH PAPERS, BOOK CHAPTERS, AND REVIEWS -- 1995 TO PRESENT:
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Zhang, S., Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2004. Tobacco growth enhancement and blue mold protection by rhizobacteria: Relationship between plant growth promotion and systemic disease protection by PGPR strain 90-166. Plant and Soil. 262:277-288.

Ryu, C.-M., Murphy, J.R., Mysore, K., and Kloepper, J.W. 2004. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria systemically protect Arabidopsis thaliana against Cucumber mosaic virus by a salicylic acid and NPR-1 independent and jasmonic acid-dependent pathway. The Plant Journal. 39:381-392.

Anith, K.N., Momol, M.T., Kloepper, J.W., Marois, J.J., Olson, S.M., and Jones, J.B. 2004. Efficacy of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, acibenzolar-S-methyl, and soil amendment for integrated management of bacterial wilt on tomato. Plant Dis. 88:669-673.

Kloepper, J.W., Reddy, M.S., Kenney, D.S., Vavrina, C., Kokalis-Burelle, N., and Martinez-Ochoa, N. 2004. Theory and applications of rhizobacteria for transplant production and yield enhancement. Proc. XXVI IHC – Transplant Production and Stand Establishment. Eds. S. Nicola, J. Nowak, and C.S. Vavrina. Acta Hort. 631, HIS 2004.

Ryu, C.-M., Farag, M.A., Hu, C.-H., Reddy, M.S., Paré, P.W. and Kloepper, J.W. 2004. Bacterial volatiles induce systemic resistance in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 134:1017-1026.

Jeun, Y.C., Park, K.S., Kim, C.H., Fowler, W.D., and Kloepper, J.W. 2004. Cytological observations of cucumber plants during induced resistance elicited by rhizobacteria. Biological Control. 29:43-42.

Spencer, M., Ryu, C.-M., Yang, W.-Y., Kim, Y.C., Kloepper, J.W., and Anderson, A.J. 2003. Induced defence in tobacco by Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain )6 involves at least the ethylene pathway. Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol. 63:27-34.

Jetiyanon, K., Fowler, W.D., and Kloepper, J.W. 2003. Broad-spectrum protection against several pathogens by PGPR mixtures under field conditions. Plant Disease. 87:1390-1394.

Murphy, J.F., Reddy, M.S., Ryu, C.-M., Kloepper, J.W., and Li, R. 2003. Rhizobacteria-mediated growth promotion of tomato leads to protection against Cucumber mosaic virus. Phytopathology. 93:1301-1307.

Yan, Z., Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2003. Survival and colonization of rhizobacteria in a tomato transplant system. Can. J. Microbiol. 49:383-389.

Ryu, C.-M., Hu, C.-H., Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2003. Different signaling pathways of induced resistance by rhizobacteria in Arabidopsis thaliana against two pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae. New Phytologist. 160:413-420.

Ryu, Choong-Min, Farag, M.A., Hu, C.-H., Reddy, M.S., Wei, H.-X., Paré, P.W., and Kloepper, J.W. 2003. Bacterial volatiles promote growth in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS). 100:4927-4932.

Kokalis-Burelle, N., Vavrina, C.S., Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2003. Amendment of muskmelon transplant media with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: effects on seedling quality, disease, and nematode resistance. Hortechnology 13:476-482.

Zhang, S., Moyne, A.-L, Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. The role of salicylic acid in induced systemic resistance elicited by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria against blue mold of tobacco. Biological Control 25:288-296.

Kokalis-Burelle, N., Martinez-Ochoa, N., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. Development of multi-component transplant mixes for suppression of Meloidogyne incognita on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). J. of Nematology 34:362-369.

Yan, Z., Reddy, M.S., Ryu, C.-M., McInroy, J.A., Wilson, M., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. Induced systemic resistance against tomato late blight elicited by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Phytopathology 92:1329-1333.

Zhang, S., Reddy, M.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. Development of assays for assessing induced systemic resistance by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria against blue mold of tobacco. Biological Control 23:79-86.

Adams, P.D., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. Effect of host genotype on indigenous bacterial endophytes of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Plant and Soil. 240:181-189.

Jetiyanon, K., and Kloepper, J.W. 2002. Mixtures of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for induction of systemic resistance against multiple plant diseases. Biological Control 24:285-291.

Beauchamp, C.J., Kloepper, J.W., Shaw, J.J., and Chalifour, F.-P. 2001. Root colonization of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) by Rhizobium leguminorarum bv. viciae in the presence of nitrate nitrogen. Can. J. Microbiol. 47:1068-1074.

Zehnder, G.W., Murphy, J.F., Sikora, E.J. and Kloepper, J.W. 2001. Application of rhizobacteria for induced resistance. European J. of Plant Pathology. 107:39-50.

Fernández, C., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., Warrior, P., and Kloepper, J.W. 2001. Induced soil suppressiveness to a root-knot nematode species by a nematicide. Biological Control 22:103-114.

Zhang, S., Reddy, M. S., Kokalis-Burelle, N., Wells, L. W. Nightengale, S. P., Kloepper, J. W. 2001. Lack of Induced Systemic Resistance in Peanut to Late Leaf Spot Disease by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Chemical Elicitors. Plant Dis. 85:879-884.

Press, C. M., Loper, J. E. and Kloepper, J. W. 2001. Role of Iron in Rhizobacteria-Mediated Induced Systemic Resistance of Cucumber. The American Phytopathological Society. 91: 593-598.

Zehnder, G. W., Murphy, J. F., Sikora, E. J., Kloepper, J. W. 2001. Application of rhizobacteria for induced resistance. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 107: 39-50.

Zehnder, G. W., Yao, C., Wei, G and Kloepper, J. W. 2000. Influence of Methyl Bromide Fumigation on Microbe-induced Resistance in Cucumber. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 10, 687-693.

Raupach, G. S. and Kloepper, J. W. 2000. Biocontrol of Cucumber Diseases in the Field by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria With and Without Methyl Bromide Fumigation. Plant Disease. 84:1073-1075.

Zehnder, G. W., Yao, C., Murphy, J. F., Sikora, E., R., Kloepper, J., W. 2000. Induction of resistance in tomato against cucumber mosaic cucumvirus by plant growth promoting rhhizobacteria. Biocontrol 45: 127-137.

Murphy, J. F., Zehnder, G. W., Schuster, D. J., Sikora, E. J., Polston, J.E., and Kloepper, J. W. 2000. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial mediated protection in tomato against Tomato Mottle Virus. Plant Disease 84: 779-784.

Park, K. S. and Kloepper, J. W. 2000. Activation of PR-1a promoter by Rhizobacteria that induce systemic resistance in Tobacco against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci. Biological Control 18: 2-9.

Varga-Ayala, R. Rodríguez-Kábana, R., Morgan-Jones, G., McInroy, J.A., and Kloepper, J.W. 2000. Shifts in soil microflora induced by velvetbean (Mucuna deeringiana) in cropping systems to control root-knot nematodes. Biological Control 17: 11-22.

Hallmann, J., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., and Kloepper, J.W. 1999. Chitin-mediated changes in bacterial communities of the soil, rhizosphere and within roots of cotton in relation to nematode control. Soil Biol. Biochem. 31:551-560.

Kloepper, J.W., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., Zehnder, G.W., Murphy, J., Sikora, E., and Fernández,, C. 1999. Plant root-bacterial interactions in biological control of soilborne diseases and potential extension to systemic and foliar diseases. Australasian Plant Pathology 28:27-33.

Zehnder, G. W., Yao, C., Murphy, J. F., Sikora, E. R., Kloepper, J. W., Schuster, D. J., and Polston, J. E. 1999. Microbe-Induced Resistance Against Pathogens and Herbivores: Evidence of Effectiveness in Agriculture, pp. 335-355. In: Induced Plant Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores: Biochemisry, Ecology and Agriculture, A. A. Agrawal, et.al. eds. APS Press, St. Paul, MN.

Benhamou, N., Kloepper, J.W., and Tuzun, S. 1998. Induction of resistance against Fusarium wilt of tomato by combination of chitosan with an endophytic bacterial strain: ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the host response. Planta 204:153-168.

Chabot, R., Beauchamp, C.J., Kloepper, J.W., and Antoun, H. 1998. Effect of phosphorus on root colonization and growth promotion of maize by bioluminescent mutants of phosphate solubilizing Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli. Soil Biol. Biochem. 30:1615-1618.

Enebak, S.A., Wei, G., and Kloepper, J.W. 1998. Effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on loblolly and slash pine seedlings. Forest Science. 44:139-144.

Hallmann, J., Quadt-Hallmann, A., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., and Kloepper, J.W. 1998. Interactions between Meloidogyne incognita and endophytic bacteria in cotton and cucumber. Soil Biol. Biochem. 30:925-937.

Raupach, G.S., and Kloepper, J.W. 1998. Mixtures of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria enhance biological control of multiple cucumber pathogens. Phytopathology 88:1158-1164.

Zehnder, G.W, Yao, C., Murphy, J. F., Sikora, E. R., Kloepper, J. W., Schuster, D. J., and Polston, J. E. 1998. Microbe-induced resistance: A novel strategy for control of insect-transmitted diseases in vegetables. In: E.B. Radcliffe and W.D. Hutchison [eds], Radcliffe's IPM World Textbook, URL: http://ipmworld.umn.edu, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Bauske, E.M., Backman, P. A., Harper, K. M., Brannen, P. M., Rodríguez-Kábana, R. and Kloepper, J. W. 1997. Effect of botanical aromatic compounds and seed-surface pH on growth and colonization of cotton plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Biocontrol Science and Technology 7:415-421.

Hallmann, J., Kloepper, J.W. , and Rodríguez-Kábana, R. 1997. Application of the Scholander pressure bomb to studies on endophytic bacteria of plants. Can J. Microbiol. 43:411-416.

Hallman, J., Quadt-Hallmann, A., Mahaffee, W. F., and Kloepper, J. W. 1997. Bacterial endophytes in agricultural crops. Can.J. Microbiol. 43:895-914.

Mahaffee, W.F., Bauske, E.M., van Vuurde, J.W.L, van der Wolf, J.M., van den Brink, M., and Kloepper, J.W. 1997. Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance, immunofluorescent colony staining, and a transgenic marker (bioluminescence) for monitoring the environmental fate of a rhizobacterium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:1617-1622.

Mahaffee, W.F. and Kloepper, J.W. 1997. Bacterial communities of the rhizosphere and endorhiza associated with field-grown cucumber plants inoculated with a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium or its genetically modified derivative. Can. J. Microbiol. 43:344-353.

Press, C.M., Wilson, M., Tuzun, S., Kloepper, J.W. 1997. Salicylic acid produced by Serratia marcescens 90-166 is not the primary determinant of induced systemic resistance in cucumber or tobacco. Molec. Plant-Microbe Interactions 10:761-768.

Quadt-Hallmann, A., Benhamou, N., and Kloepper, J.W. 1997. Bacterial endophytes in cotton: mechanisms of entering the plant. Can. J. Microbiol. 43:577-582.

Quadt-Hallmann, A., Hallmann, J., and Kloepper, J.W. 1997. Bacterial endophytes in cotton: localization and interaction with other plant-associated bacteria. Can. J. Microbiol. 43:254-259.

Zehnder, G., Kloepper, J., Tuzun, S., Yao, C. Wei, G., Chambliss, O., and Shelby, R. 1997. Insect feeding on cucumber mediated by rhizobacteria-induced plant resistance. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 83:81-85.

Zehnder, G., Kloepper, J., Yao, C., and Wei, G. 1997. Induction of systemic resistance in cucumber against cucumber beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria). J. Econ. Entomol. 90:391-396.

Benhamou, N., Kloepper, J.W., Quadt-Hallmann, A., and Tuzun, S. 1996. Induction of defense-related ultrastructural modifications in pea root tissues inoculated with endophytic bacteria. Physiol. Plant Pathol. 112:919-929.

Chabot, R., Antoun, H., Kloepper, J.W., and Beauchamp, C.J. 1996. Root colonization of maize and lettuce by bioluminescent Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:2767-2772.

Chen, Y., Mei, R., Lu, S., Liu, L., and Kloepper, J.W. 1996. The use of yield-increasing bacteria (YIB) as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in Chinese agriculture. In: Management of Soilborne Disease, C.K. Gupta and R. Utkehde, eds. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi. Pages 165-184.

Kloepper, J. W. 1996. Host specificity in microbe-microbe interactions. BioScience 46: 406-409.

Kloepper, J. W., Zehnder, G. W., Tuzun, S., Murphy, J. F., Wei, G., Yao, C., and Raupach, G.. 1996. Toward agricultural implementation of PGPR-mediated induced systemic resistance against crop pests. In: W. Tang, R.J. Cook, and A. Rovira, eds. Advances in Biological Control of Plant Diseases. China Agricultural University Press, Beijing. pp. 165-174.

Press, C.M., W.F. Mahaffee, J.H. Edwards, and J.W. Kloepper. 1996. Organic by-product effects on soil chemical properties and microbial communities. Compost Sci. & Utilization 4:70-80.

Quadt-Hallmann, A., and Kloepper, J.W. 1996. Immunological detection and localization of a cotton endophyte, Enterobacter asburiae, strain JM22 in different plant species. Can. J. Microbiol. 42: 1144-1154.

McInroy, J.A., Musson, G., Wei, G., and Kloepper, J.W. 1996. Masking of antibiotic-resistance upon recovery of endophytic bacteria. Plant and Soil 186: 213-218.

Raupach, G.S., Liu, L., Murphy, J.F., Tuzun, S., and Kloepper, J.W. 1996. Induced systemic resistance in cucumber and tomato against cucumber mosaic cucumovirus using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Plant Dis. 80:891-894.

Wei, G., Kloepper, J.W., and Tuzun, S. 1996. Induced systemic resistance to cucumber diseases and increased plant growth by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria under field conditions. Phytopathology 86:221-224.

Wei, G., Kloepper, J. W., and Tuzun, S. 1996. Evaluation of induced systemic resistance and plant growth promotion with mixtures of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria strains in the field. In: W. Tang, R.J. Cook, and A. Rovira, eds. Advances in Biological Control of Plant Diseases. China Agricultural University Press, Beijing. pp. 223-226.

Wilson, M., Ji, P., Campbell, H. L., and Kloepper, J. W. 1996. Development of an integrated biological control strategy for bacterial speck of tomato caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. In: W. Tang, R.J. Cook, and A. Rovira, eds. Advances in Biological Control of Plant Diseases. China Agricultural University Press, Beijing.

Chen, C., Bauske, E.M., Musson, G. Rodríguez-Kábana, R., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Biological control of Fusarium wilt on cotton by use of endophytic bacteria. Biological Control 5:83-91.

Kloepper, J. W. 1995. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (other systems). In: Azospirillum/Plant Associations. Y. Okon, ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton. pp. 137-166.

Liu, L., Kloepper, J.W., and Tuzun, S. 1995. Induction of systemic resistance in cucumber by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: duration of protection and effect of host resistance on protection and root colonization. Phytopathology 85:1064-1068.

Liu, L., Kloepper, J.W., and Tuzun, S. 1995. Induction of systemic resistance in cucumber against bacterial angular leaf spot by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Phytopathology 85:843-847.

Liu, L., Kloepper, J.W., and Tuzun, S. 1995. Induction of systemic resistance in cucumber against Fusarium wilt by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Phytopathology 85:695-698.

Mickler, C.J., Bowen, K.L., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Evaluation of selected geocarposphere bacteria for biological control of Aspergillus flavus in peanut. Plant and Soil 175:291-299.

McInroy, J.A., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Population dynamics of endophytic bacteria in field-grown sweet corn and cotton. Can. J. Microbiol. 41:895-901.

McInroy, J.A., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Survey of indigenous bacterial endophytes from cotton and sweet corn. Plant and Soil 173:337-342.


Musson, G., McInroy, J.A., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Development of delivery systems for introducing endophytic bacteria into cotton. Biocontrol Sci & Technol. 5:407-416.

Tuzun, S., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Practical application and implementation of induced resistance. In: Induced Resistance to Diseases in Plants. R. Hammerschmidt and J. Kuc, Eds. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordecht, the Netherlands. pp. 152-168.

Tuzun, S., and Kloepper, J.W. 1995. Potential application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to induce systemic disease resistance. In: Novel Approaches to Integrated Pest Management. R. Reuveni, Ed. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton. pp. 115-127.

Mahaffee, W.F., and Kloepper, J.W. 1994. Applications of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in sustainable agriculture. In: Soil Biota, Management in Sustainable Farming Systems. C.E. Pankhurst, B.M. Doube, V.V.S.R. Gupta, and P.R. Grace, Eds. CSIRO Information Services, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. pp. 23-31.

McInroy, J.A., and Kloepper, J.W. 1994. Studies on indigenous endophytic bacteria of sweet corn and cotton. In: Molecular Ecology of Rhizosphere Microorganisms, Biotechnology and the Release of GMOs. F. O'Gara, D.N. Dowling, and B. Boesten, Eds. VCH, New York. pp. 19-27.

Tuzun, S., and Kloepper, J. W. 1994. Induced systemic resistance by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. In: Improving Plant Productivity with Rhizosphere Bacteria. M.H. Ryder, P.M. Stephens, and G.D. Bowen, eds. CSIRO, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. pp. 104-109.

Edwards, J.H., Press, C.M., Mahaffee, W.F., and Kloepper, J.W. 1994. Direct application effects of municipal solid waste on modification of soil biota and crop production. In: Soil Biota, Management in Sustainable Farming Systems. C.E. Pankhurst, B.M. Doube, V.V.S.R. Gupta, and P.R. Grace, Eds. CSIRO Information Services, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. pp. 91-93.

  Photos courtesy of: J. W. Kloepper
 

 
Updated: September 26, 2001