Combining residues of herb crops with soil heating for control of soilborne pathogens in a controlled laboratory system

Plant residues from herb crops were examined as organic amendments for the control of soilborne pathogens with and without soil heating for a short exposure of 2 weeks. Residues of herbaceous plants of oregano, sage, rosemary, tarragon, bay, wild rocket, spearmint and thyme were incubated for 14 days in a controlled laboratory system which emulates soil solarization. Green cabbage residues were included for comparison. The tested pathogens included Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani and Meloidogyne javanica. Heating soil amended with herb residues, particularly tarragon, spearmint and wild rocket, resulted in high mortality of the tested pathogens. Volatile compounds which were generated in heated soils amended with wild rocket or tarragon showed significant toxicity to M. phaseolina and R. solani. Only oregano, thyme, bay, wild rocket and tarragon amendments were effective in pathogen control without heating. Incorporation of leaf and stem residues of thyme, sage, tarragon, rosemary or wild rocket in soil and exposure to solarization under field conditions resulted in 95-100% mortality of the tested pathogen. This study demonstrates that the residues from herb crop production can serve as organic amendments for the control of soilborne pathogens, especially when combined with heating or solarization.     

Soil properties affected by combinations of soil solarization and organic amendment

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects on soil properties of solarization combined with rice bran additive. The treatments included control (bare soil), black polyethylene film mulch (BM), clear polyethylene film mulch (CM), rice bran mixture (RBMx), rice bran mulch (RBM), rice bran mixture and black polyethylene film mulch (RBMx + BM), rice bran and black polyethylene film mulch (RBM + BM), rice bran mixture and clear polyethylene film mulch (RBMx + CM), and rice bran and clear polyethylene film mulch (RBM + CM). Initially, 15 kg m⁻² of rice bran was applied to each treatment as the organic amendment. A cover of black or clear polyethylene film was then used to begin the soil solarization process. Approximately 49 days later, the polyethylene film was removed and five broccoli seedlings per replication were planted 6 weeks later. The combination of rice bran mixture with the clear/transparent polyethylene film mulch (RBMx + CM) raised both the mean and maximum soil temperatures over 0–30 cm of soil depth. Maximum soil temperature under the RBMx + CM treatment was the highest of all treatments (77°C) and were about 32°C greater than under the control, while it was only 52°C under RBM + BM treatment. Combining rice bran with clear/transparent polyethylene film mulch during the soil solarization process is recommended for raising soil temperatures. Further investigation over a longer period of soil solarization process with rice bran–organic amendment and polyethylene film mulch combinations is required to more accurately determine their effects on soil properties and crop production.     

Interaction of soil solarization and metham-sodium in the destruction of Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum

The effects of solarization, metham-sodium (12·5 or 25 ml/m²) and combined action of the two treatments (soil solarization plus metham-sodium) on the viability of Verticillium dahliae (VD) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) added to field soil were compared in two successive field experiments. In both experiments solarization combined with metham-sodium was more effective in destroying both pathogens as compared with solarization or metham-sodium alone. In the earlier experiment, when soil temperatures were higher, soil solarization and combined treatments were more effective in controlling VD and FOV than in the later experiment. The effect of metham-sodium on V. dahliae microsclerotia was studied in open and sealed containers incubated at 25° and 35°C. The fumigant dose required to kill 50% of the microsclerotia at 25°C was four times higher at 25°C than at 35°C. Toxicity of the chemical was similar in open and sealed containers. This and field experiment results suggest that the higher toxicity observed under plastic cover in the field is due to synergistic interaction between solarization and metham-sodium. Combined solarization and metham-sodium killed more propagules more quickly than solarization alone; these results suggested that the period over which effective solarization can be used is longer than previously thought and that the time needed to solarize the soil for control of these pathogens is less.     

Soil suppressiveness to Meloidogyne javanica as induced by organic amendments and solarization in greenhouse crops

We assessed soil suppressiveness against root-knot caused by Meloidogyne javanica, following the incorporation of crop residues (organic amendments [OA]) and soil solarization, under agricultural conditions. Two field experiments were established in tomato greenhouses and a third in a nethouse for growing Antirrhinums, all infested with M. javanica. Dried residues of wild rocket (WR) were incorporated into the soil and then it was solarized to moderate temperatures to partially effect the pathogen population. Root galling on the roots of the successive tomato crop was significantly reduced to different levels by WR, solarization or their combination, in two experiments. Solarization, alone or combined with WR amendment, significantly reduced root knot incidence in the roots of snapdragon, but suppression of root galling in the roots of snapdragon in the following crop was not evident. We further assessed the potential of various herb residues, incorporated in small plots, and solarization to induce soil suppressiveness against root-knot caused by M. javanica. Amending soil with residues of WR, tarragon, peppermint or sage induced soil suppressiveness to root knot even when M. javanica was introduced into the soil after the termination of the treatment, and reduced the galling index in subsequently grown tomato plants, compared with non-amended soil. Our findings further validate the potential role of OA and solarization in inducing soil suppressiveness, which contributes to sustainable management of soilborne pathogens.     

Flame soil disinfestation: A novel,promising, non-chemical method to control soilborne nematodes,fungal and bacterial pathogens in China

Flame soil disinfestation (FSD) is a novel, promising non-chemical method to control soilborne nematodes, fungal and bacterial pathogens in China. The efficacy of FSD on soilborne nematodes, fungal and bacterial pathogens was evaluated during two field trials. The field trials revealed that the treatment with FSD once (FSD1) and treatment with FSD twice (FSD2) sharply reduced the total number of soilborne nematodes (>95%) and completely controlled Meloidogyne incognita in the soil. Both FSD1 and FSD2 also provided promising efficacy against soilborne Fusarium oxysporum (>44%), Phytophthora spp. (>47%) and Ralstonia solanacearum (>67%) on media. However, there was no significant difference between FSD1 and FSD2 in controlling soilborne nematodes, fungal and bacterial pathogens (P = 0.05). Currently, there are two challenges to distribute the technology in China: its high cost and relatively low efficiency because of the low speed of application compared with soil chemical fumigation. Despite the drawbacks, FSD is still promising in organic agriculture for controlling soilborne nematodes, fungal and bacterial pathogens.     

Soil solarization: a non-chemical approach for management of plant pathogens and pests

Soil solarization is a special mulching process which causes hydrothermal disinfestation and other physical and biological changes in soil which are beneficial to plant health and growth. Plastic film laid over moist soil during periods of high air temperature, usually for 1–2 months, can greatly reduce or eradicate a number of pathogens and pests including fungi, bacteria, nematodes, arthropods and weeds. Following soil solarization, growth of microflora beneficial to plant growth or antagonistic to pathogens and pests may slow the reinfestation of soil by these organisms for more than one growing season. Increased plant growth and yield of annual and perennial field, row, and nursery crops usually occur following soil solarization. In addition, the availability of increased mineral nutrients following solarization may reduce crop fertilization requirements. Soil solarization has been effective as a pre-plant and as a post-plant treatment, and has been compatible with chemical soil treatments and also biological soil amendments after solarization. Soil solarization is a significant advance in the non-chemical control of many pathogens and pests.     

Repeated solarization and long-term effects on soil microbiological parameters and agronomic traits

Innovative methods less invasive for man and environment are needed to solve the problem of weeds, pests and diseases in cropping systems. Soil solarization is one practice that involves passively heating soil covered by a thin clear plastic film for several weeks during the periods of high solar radiation before the crop is planted. Soil solarization treatments were repeated to verify their long-term effectiveness on soil microbial biomass and its respiration activities, in addition to yield response and root-knot nematodes control in tomato and melon crops following soil heating. Experiments in greenhouse were carried out in Southern Italy (40°24′ N, 16°28′ E) during the summer of 1998, 1999 and 2000 on soil infested by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica. Crop yields and fruit quality of all vegetable crops were positively affected by repeating solarization for two and three years, compared to an untreated soil and soil treated once in 1998. Solarization was effective in controlling root-knot nematode damage, but solarization affected the soil biota populations and their activities as a consequence of repeated treatments.     

风沙半干旱区花生不同覆膜时期对土壤微生物量碳与产量的影响

在风沙半干旱区间作（大扁杏｜｜花生｜｜大扁杏）条件下,以花生品种“阜花12号”为材料,研究了不同覆膜时期对土壤微生物量碳与花生产量的影响。结果表明：不同覆膜时期花生土壤微生物量碳含量顺序为：处理Ⅱ〉处理Ⅰ〉处理Ⅲ〉处理Ⅳ（CK）。不同覆膜时期对花生产量、WUE的影响达到显著水平,产量与WUE的高低顺序均为：处理Ⅱ〉处理...     

澳洲坚果树盘覆盖效应初步研究

以新兴引进种植的澳洲坚果为试材,研究了树盘覆盖处理对澳洲坚果园土壤水分、温度、养分、抽梢物候和生产性能的影响.结果表明:地膜和草覆盖都有明显保水作用,地膜覆盖兼有显著的增温效应,而覆草处理下土壤温度却明显低于对照,在高温季节有降温作用;覆草和覆膜不同程度地增加了土壤有机质和速效磷、钾等养分含量,速效氮在覆膜后有下降趋势,覆草后正好相反;覆草处理可促进澳洲坚果的抽梢量,显著提高澳洲坚果的最初及最终座果率、降低空花率,最终使产量获得提高;而覆膜处理后澳洲坚果座果率、产量均显著降低.     

Implementation of soil solarization in Greece: conclusions and suggestions

The use of soil solarization in Greece is described, indicating methods of reducing the period of solarization by using impermeable plastic sheets and combining it with the addition of antagonistic bacteria.     

不同轮耕模式对黑土土壤微生物群落结构的影响

以吉林省公主岭市黑土3年的田间试验为研究对象,采用高通量测序方法,研究不同轮耕模式和秸秆还田对土壤微生物群落组成及其多样性的影响。结果表明,与秸秆离田处理(A)相比,秸秆连年深翻(D)、深翻/旋耕(C)和覆盖/覆盖/深翻(E)3个还田处理均显著提高亚表层(20～40 cm)土壤有机质和氮磷钾含量。对于微生物总量OTU分析表明,经过秸秆深翻处理亚表层土壤微生物总数均高于表层土壤,秸秆连年覆盖还田(B)处理则是表层(0～20 cm)土壤微生物总量高于亚表层土壤。经秸秆深翻处理亚表层土壤Chao1指数较高,Simpson指数较低,物种丰度明显提高;连年覆盖还田处理表层土壤物种Chao1指数和Shannon指数较高;秸秆覆盖还田可提高表层土壤物种丰度。C和D处理与A处理亚表层土壤组间物种多样性有显著差异,具体差异在分类学上的组成中有所体现,门水平上物种组成无差异,但属水平上亚表层土壤与表层土壤之间微生物组成不同。冗余分析显示,不同秸秆还田模式下土壤有机质及有效N、P养分变化是引起土壤微生物群落结构变化的重要环境因子。秸秆覆盖还田和秸秆深翻还田分别能够有效改善表层和亚表层土壤微生物群落结构和多样性。     

Effects of soil amendment with poultry manure on carnation Fusarium wilt in greenhouses in southwest Spain

In a search for alternatives to methyl bromide for controlling carnation vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi (Fod), poultry manure plus soil solarization was studied in soil under greenhouse conditions in four 2-year experiments. These were conducted in naturally infested soil to compare the effects of this treatment with soil solarization alone and methyl bromide. Soil treatments were performed during June 2000 for Experiment 1, from July to mid-August 2002 for Experiment 2, from late July to late August 2006 for Experiment 3 and from late May to late June 2008 for Experiment 4. Additionally, a treatment with commercial poultry manure pellet plus soil solarization was included in the two latter experiments. Poultry manure caused reductions of Fod viability in soil samples at depths of 15 and 30 cm, ranging respectively from 93 to 100% and 89 to 100% for Experiments 1, 2 and 3. Carnations planted in plots treated either with poultry manure, methyl bromide or soil solarization had lower final disease incidences, smaller areas under their disease progress curves and higher yields in comparison with untreated plots in Experiments 2, 3 and 4. In Experiment 1, soil solarization was performed under suboptimal conditions, and it provided disease levels and yields similar to those of the untreated control plots. Nevertheless, under the same conditions, previous amendment of Fod-infested soil with poultry manure increased disease control over soil solarization alone, improved carnation yield and quality and also increased plant vigor, thus providing a satisfactory alternative to methyl bromide. The application of organic amendment to the same plot before every crop cycle is recommended to ensure continuous disease control, but the rates of application could be reduced to half for the third and fourth crop cycles, thereby reducing undesirable environmental effects.     

Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium tricinctum as causal agents of pink rot of onion bulbs and the effect of soil solarization combined with compost amendment in controlling their infections in field

Laboratory tests and field trials were conducted in 2010 and 2011 in Salerno province, Southern Italy, to determine the causal agent(s) of pink rot of roots and bulbs of onion and the effects of soil solarization combined with municipal food waste compost amendment in reducing their infections on bulbs of onion. Three fungi were mainly isolated: Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium tricinctum on bulbs and roots and Pyrenochaeta terrestris exclusively on roots. P. terrestris produce symptoms on roots, but it was not able to cause damage on unwounded bulbs. F. proliferatum and F. tricinctum were able to induce symptoms when inoculated separately and showed no synergistic effects on severity of symptoms on bulbs. They induced symptoms on roots at a lesser extent. Combined inoculations of P. terrestris with both Fusarium species on roots have not increased symptoms severity of pink rot of onion. This is the first report of F. tricinctum as agent of pink rot of onion bulbs. Two years field trials have been carried out from 2009 to 2011 to evaluate the efficacy of soil solarization, applied alone or in combination with municipal food waste compost amendment, for controlling pink rot of onion bulb caused by F. proliferatum and F. tricinctum. For this purpose, soil solarization, alone and combined with compost amendment, were compared with metham sodium and an untreated control. The results of both trials demonstrated that, in presence of pink rot of onion bulbs, compost amendments, applied after solarization, strongly reduced the efficacy of soil solarization from 68.7% to 16.3% in 2010 and from 76.9% to 4.6% in 2011. Organic amendments applied before soil solarization significantly reduced the efficacy of this technique only in 2011. Significant yield increases were detected at the end of both trials in plots treated with solarization alone, metham sodium and compost applied after solarization. The highest incidence of unmarketable infected plants recorded in plots solarized and then amended with compost was compensated by the increase of bulb size and plant weight. These results demonstrated as the benefits achieved with compost amendments in controlling pink rot of onion are not easily predictable and applicable on large scale.     

Yield and quality of forage maize grown under marginal climatic conditions in Northern Ireland

The expansion of maize (Zea mays) into cooler areas has been facilitated by the availability of early maturing cultivars and by cultivation under plastic mulch. However, year‐to‐year variation in harvest quality remains a problem. The yield and quality of ‘Goldcob’, an early maturing forage maize, were assessed over 5 years from plots grown in the open and under plastic mulch. For both treatments, there was significant between‐year variation in yield and quality (starch content, metabolizable energy, organic matter and D‐value), and starch content was particularly variable. The use of plastic mulch to warm the soil advanced the establishment of the crop, with silking occurring on average 19 days earlier. This resulted in significantly higher yields under plastic mulch, with a mean increase of 3·9 t ha^?1. The plastic mulch also resulted in significant increases in quality parameters, with starch content showing a mean increase of 36%. The Ontario heat unit model explained much of the variability in yield, both in the open and under plastic mulch. Plastic mulch had no consistent effect on Ontario heat units accumulated prior to silking, but Ontario heat units accumulated between silking and harvest (OHU_post‐silk) were found to be an adequate predictor of yield. The response of starch content was more complex, showing a clear plateau in the response to temperature at 1200 OHU_post‐silk, above which the accumulation of starch appears limited by other factors.     

Improved solarization of containerized medium for the control of Monosporascus collapse in melon

Melon collapse caused by the heat-tolerant soil-borne fungus Monosporascus cannonballus is not controlled by current solarization technology applied to large soil volumes because the temperatures achieved are not high enough to kill the pathogen's ascospores. The efficacy of improved solarization achieved by mulching a shallow layer of growth medium in containers was studied in terms of disease control and yield increase over two growing seasons. Compared to solarization of a regular container, solarization of a shallow layer (5–6 cm) of growth medium resulted in a 3–5°C elevation in maximal temperature at a depth of 3 cm, and in a 7–10°C increases at the bottom of the shallow layer. This led to a higher disease reduction and higher yields in the 1996 experiment. In 1997, both methods of solarization were highly effective. Yield was highly correlated with disease reduction in both experiments. In the 1997 experiment, ascospore viability declined faster in the shallow container treatment than in the regular container. This study demonstrates the potential of an additional approach for improving solarization of containerized plant growth medium and improving its reliability, with the aim of controlling heat-tolerant pathogens.     

Response of selected soilborne fungi and bacteria to herbicides utilized in potato crop management systems in Maine

The response of nine soilborne fungi associated with potato production:Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani ‘Coerculeum,’F. roseum ‘Sambucinum,’F. avenaceum, Helminthosporium solani, Verticillium alboatrum, Alternaria solani, Trihcoderma viride, andLaetisaria arvalis; and five soilborne bacteriaAzotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus subtilis, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora,Pseudomonas aeruqinosa andPseudomonas fluorescens to the herbicides linuron, metribuzin, dinoseb, paraquat, EPTC, and dalapon were determined by growth on amended media. None of the herbicides increased radial growth of the fungi, and only dinoseb significantly (P = 0.05) reduced radial growth of all fungi at concentrations less than 64 ppm. EPTC, dalapon, linuron, paraquat, and dinoseb severely inhibited bacterial survival (91, 82, 44%, respectively) when evaluated on trypticase soy and cimmons citrate agar media amended with herbicides at concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 ppm. Dinoseb, when applied to field soil in pots, significantly reduced total microorganism populations in the top 5 cm of soil. Results suggest that soil applications of herbicides can selectively inhibit soil microflora with possible effects on disease incidence and severity, and may also be a factor in determining effectiveness of biolgical control agents.     

Control of damping-off of organic and conventional cucumber with extracts from a plant-associated bacterium rivals a seed treatment pesticide

Environmentally friendly control measures are needed for soilborne diseases of crops grown in organic and conventional production systems. We tested ethanol extracts from cultures of Serratia marcescens N4-5 and N2-4, Burkholderia cepacia BC-1 and BC-2, and Burkholderia ambifaria BC-F for control of damping-off of cucumber caused by the soilborne pathogens Pythium ultimum and Rhizoctonia solani; ethanol being an Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) -approved solvent for use in certain applications in organic crop production. Ethanol extracts from strains N4-5 and N2-4 inhibited mycelial growth and germination of sporangia of P. ultimum in vitro but those from strains BC-1, BC-2, BC-F, and the ethanol control did not. Ethanol extracts from strains BC-2 and BC-F inhibited mycelial growth of R. solani in vitro while ethanol extracts from strains BC-1, N2-4, N4-5, and the ethanol control did not. Thin-layer chromatography demonstrated that ethanol extracts from strain N4-5 contained prodigiosin while ethanol extracts from strains BC-2 and BC-F contained pyrrolnitrin; extracts from strains N2-4 and BC-1 did not contain either of these compounds. DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of a biosynthetic gene for prodigiosin in strain N4-5 and its absence in strain N2-4, while a biosynthetic gene for pyrrolnitrin was found in strains BC-2 and BC-F but not in strains N2-4, N4-5, and BC-1. Prodigiosin was previously implicated in inhibition of P. ultimum while pyrrolnitrin has been shown to inhibit R. solani. Certified-organic cucumber seed treated with an ethanol extract of strain N4-5 was the only extract treatment from any of these five microbial strains to effectively suppress damping-off caused by P. ultimum in growth chamber pot experiments. This ethanol extract provided suppression of P. ultimum on cucumber that was similar to that provided by a commercially available seed treatment pesticide and greater than that provided by a commercially available biocontrol agent for this pathogen. The inhibitory factor(s) in ethanol extracts of strain N4-5 was stable as a seed treatment for at least 14 weeks when incubated at 4 °C in the dark. No ethanol extracts applied as treatments of organic cucumber seed consistently suppressed damping-off caused by R. solani in growth chamber pot experiments. Experiments reported here suggest that certain natural products from microbial strains as seed treatments are promising alternatives for control of soilborne diseases in conventional or organic cucumber production systems.     

Efficacy of reduced rate fumigant alternatives and methyl bromide against soilborne pathogens and weeds in western forest nurseries

Preplant soil fumigation is commonly used to control soilborne pathogens and weeds in forest seedling nurseries of Oregon and Washington. However, lower chemical inputs are desired to meet state and federal application regulations, to minimize buffer zone size requirements, and to help protect the environment. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to evaluate the efficacy of three reduced rate soil fumigants under totally impermeable film (TIF) in managing soilborne diseases and weeds, and to determine if combined applications of up to four biocontrol agents improved soilborne disease control. Reduced rates of methyl bromide, metam sodium, and 1,3-dichloropropene, all applied in combination with chloropicrin, were effective in decreasing soil populations of Pythium and Fusarium as well as the presence of Pythium in root debris from the previous crop. The roots of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings transplanted into each fumigant treatment were also colonized less by Pythium and Fusarium than those transplanted into nonfumigated control plots. However, biocontrol treatments were not effective against either pathogen. Weed biomass and weeding times were also significantly reduced by fumigation. Application costs were similar for all three fumigant treatments, but seedling size was largest from the methyl bromide and metam sodium treatments followed by the 1,3-dichloropropene treatment. Based on the results of this study, reduced rates of methyl bromide, metam sodium, and 1,3-dichloropropene show promise in managing soilborne diseases and weeds in forest nurseries.     

不同栽培条件对花生生长发育的影响

对不同栽培条件下花生干物质的积累、分配与转移规律进行研究。结果表明：干物质分配苗期以营养器官为主。花期营养器官与生殖器官并进。以后叶片中的干物质越来越多地转移到生殖器官．饱果成熟期叶片仍保持一定的绿叶面积，能继续供给生殖器官干物质。地膜覆盖与露地栽培相比．更有利于干物质积累、分配与转移．主要表现在LAI增加．生物产量提高．覆膜能显著提高地温．增加土壤水分与速效养分含量。     

The ability of the Ontario heat unit system to model the growth and development of forage maize sown under plastic mulch

In a replicated field experiment carried out in Northern Ireland in 1998, the effects of sowing date (17 April, 5 May, 19 May and 1 June), cultivar of forage maize (Hudson and Diamant) and treatments with no mulch (NP), total cover plastic mulch (TC), TC plastic mulch removed at eight‐leaf growth stage (EL) and punch plastic mulch (PU) on the rate of development of the crop and the accumulation of dry matter (DM) in the whole plant and cobs were described. Soil and air temperatures under the mulch treatments and in the open were recorded and the daily accumulation of Ontario heat units (OUs) calculated for each treatment based on the air temperatures experienced by the crop for the periods that it was under plastic mulch and in the open. The interval from sowing to emergence was proportional to the accumulated heat units above a soil base temperature of 8·2°C. The phenology of leaf emergence varied widely in terms of calendar date across the sowing date and plastic mulch treatments but relative to adjusted OUs the treatments were more closely aligned. Treatment PU advanced the crop less than the other mulch treatments relative to calendar date but, relative to OUs, more than these treatments. Physical damage to plants emerging through the TC treatment and air temperatures exceeding 40°C during the first month under treatments TC and EL did not appear to retard physiological development. The total adjusted OUs to reach 50% silking ranged from 1432 to 1753. Close relationships were found between the total OUs from silking to harvest and the whole crop DM content, cob DM content, cob yield and starch concentration of the whole crop at harvest so that differences between the treatments could largely be accounted for by the differences in silking date. It was concluded that the OU system can provide a reasonable model of maize growth for crops sown under TC plastic mulch providing air temperatures under the plastic are used for the period that the crop experiences them. However, the OU system is less reliable for crops grown under punch plastic because of the soil warming effect of the mulch that is not taken into account by the OU system.