Compost amendments decrease Verticilliuam dahliae infection in potato

Entry, J.A. and Strausbaugh, C.A. and Sojka, R.E. (2005) Compost amendments decrease Verticilliuam dahliae infection in potato. Compost Science & Utilization. 13(1):43-49.

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Abstract

Indigenous soil microorganisms contribute to disease suppression in cropping systems by reducing and
competing with pathogen populations, thereby limiting disease severity. Various communities of indigenous
microorganisms in any particular soil have adapted to the specific environmental conditions. If the
soil around the plant roots could be altered to favor the indigenous soil microorganisms relative to the plant
pathogen, the survival and proliferation of indigenous soil microorganisms, and thus effectiveness of biological
control, may be increased. Wood chip-polyacrylamide (PAM) cores were used to alter the soil environment
in a greenhouse study to favor indigenous soil microorganisms in vegetable and manure compost
to reduce Verticillium dahliae infection of potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) plants. Potato plants growing in soils
amended with vegetable compost-wood chip-PAM cores had significantly lower visible (V vis,) and isolation
(V iso)
dahliae infection rates than control soils and soils with dairy or vegetable compost alone. Soils
amended with wood chip-PAM-dairy compost cores had significantly lower IC and isolation V. than
control soils and soils with dairy compost. Soils with wood chip-PAM cores and soils with wood chip-PAM-vegetable
compost had greater microbial biomass/ Verticillium dahliae biomass (MB/ VB) ratios in soil
than control soils or in soils amended with compost alone. MB / VB ratios in wood chip-PAM cores and
wood chip- PAM-vegetable compost were greater than in wood chip-PAM-dairy compost cores. V correlated
in a quadratic relationship with the MB /VB ratio (r 2=0.76). As MB /VB ratio increased
Although field studies with several crops and economic evaluations are necessary, this greenhouse
study provides evidence that a wood chip-PAM or wood chip- PAM-vegetable compost soil amendment
may be a viable method to control some soil diseases in high value crops.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1148
Subjects:	Soil > Amendments Irrigated crops > Potato
Depositing User:	Users 3 not found.
Date Deposited:	24 Mar 2008 21:05
Last Modified:	03 Nov 2016 15:54
Item ID:	9
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/9