Effects of interaction of Meloidogyne incognita,Alternaria dauci and Rhizoctonia solani on the growth,chlorophyll, carotenoid and proline contents of carrot in three types of soil

Disease complex of carrot (Daucus carota L.) involving root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and two fungi Alternaria dauci and Rhizoctonia solani were studied in three soil types. More plant growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid and proline contents were found in carrot grown in fly ash mix soil than plants grown in sand mix soil and loamy soil. Inoculation of M. incognita, R. solani, and A. dauci reduced plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid but increased proline contents. Inoculation of M. incognita 20 days prior to a fungal pathogen caused a greater reduction in plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid than fungal pathogen was inoculated prior. Inoculation of A. dauci prior to R. solani or vice versa had a similar effect on plant growth, chlorophyll, and carotenoid. Nematode multiplication and galling was higher in plants grown in sand mix soil followed by loamy soil and fly ash mix soil. Both fungi had adverse effects on galling and nematode multiplication. Blight disease index caused by A. dauci was 3 and crown rot index by R. solani was also recorded 3. These disease indices were 5 when pathogens were inoculated in combinations.     

Influence of soil type and indigenous pathogenic fungi on bean hypocotyl rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG4 HGI in Cuba

Calcisol, ferralsol and vertisol soils, representative of different bean production areas of Villa Clara province in Cuba, were selected to determine the impact of soil type on bean hypocotyl rot severity caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG4 HGI (isolate CuVC-Rs7). In inoculated autoclaved soil, hypocotyl rot was most severe in calcisol soil, followed by ferralsol soils and then vertisol soils. In inoculated natural soils, disease severity was lower in vertisol and calcisol soils and higher in ferralsol soil, indicating that biological factors are suppressing or stimulating the pathogenic efficiency of R. solani. Native binucleate Rhizoctonia AGF, Sclerotium rolfsii and R. solani AG 4 HGI were isolated from bean plants grown in natural calcisol, vertisol and ferralsol soils, respectively. Subsequent studies about the interaction between these fungi and R. solani indicated that they were involved in the variability of disease severity caused by R. solani. The addition of R. solani AG4 HGI (isolate CuVC-Rs7) into each autoclaved soil inoculated with binucleate Rhizoctonia or S. rolfsii resulted in a reduction of disease severity caused by this pathogen while in soils inoculated with native R. solani AG4 HGI, disease severity increased. Irrespective of fungal interactions, calcisol was always the most disease conducive soil and vertisol the most disease repressive soil. The mechanisms by which native pathogenic fungi could influence disease severity caused by R. solani are discussed.     

Biological control of Rhizoctonia sp. root rot of Casuarina equisetifolia seedlings by Frankia spp. strains

Seventy Frankia spp. strains (nodulating N₂-fixing actinomycetes) were isolated from root nodules of Casuarina equisetifolia from different localities of Tamil Nadu state, India. From these, four strains (UMCe12, UMCe23, UMCe35, and UMce55) were selected. Their potential use as biological control agents for Rhizoctonia solani root rot disease of C. equisetifolia seedlings and their relative efficiency in nodule production were investigated. Between the two inoculum broadcast systems tested, seed-coating with Frankia spp. cell suspension was superior to the soil application of cells as sand-vermiculite-basal ammonium propionate inoculum. UMCe12 was the promising strain, offering the highest level of disease protection (81.1%) and nodule production (88.1%) in the R. solani-infested soil, followed by UMCe23 (60.3 and 65.5% of disease protection and nodule production, respectively), UMCe55 (53.5 and 58.2%), and UMCe35 (45.4 and 44.5%). Further, a significant positive correlation was observed between the dose of Frankia spp. and efficiency in both disease control and nodule production.     

Use of soil solarization to control root rots in gerberas (Gerbera jamesonii)

Summary An investigation was conducted during the summer months of 1986–1987 and 1987–1988 in Western Australia to evaluate the effect of soil solarization on the control of root rot of gerbera an also on the microbial and nutrient status of the soil. Infested soil cores were sampled from a site where root-rot was a severe problem and were removed to a non-infested site where they were subjected to soil solarization or fumigation. Soil solarization resulted in reduced root rot (root disease index 28.6%) in comparison to the untreated control (52.0%) 8 months after planting. Plants in the fumigated plots had 15.8% less disease than those in solarized plots. Solarization increased the total numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes, and the proportion of bacteria and fungi antogonistic to Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and Rhizoctonia solani. The proportion of actinomycetes antagonistic to these fungi, however, did not differ between solarized and control soil treatments. There was a significant reduction in disease in plants grown in infested fumigated soil to which a 10% concentration of solarized soil had been added, suggesting the development of microbial suppression in solarized soil. Phytophthora cryptogea was eradicated to 30 cm by solarization as well as by fumigation. Solarization eliminated R. solani but not F. oxysporum to a soil depth of 10 cm. Solarization increased the levels of NO _n3 ^– -N and NH₄ ⁺-N in soil, but did not affect the concentrations of PO₄ ^3–, K⁺, Fe²⁺, organic C and pH. Yield (as number of flowers per plant) was increased by soil solarization and by fumigation.Increased yields and decreased disease severity in the solarized plots could have been caused by (1) a reduction in the infectivity of the infested soils, (2) an increase in the suppressiveness of the soil, and (3) an increased available of plant nutrients.     

Potential of Azotobacter spp. as biocontrol agents against Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

During the current investigation, 51 bacterial isolates/mutants of Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum spp. and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus were tested for antifungal activity against three fungal pathogens, namely Rhizoctonia solani cotton, Rhizoctonia solani rice and Fusarium oxysporum tomato using a dual-culture technique under laboratory conditions. Ten isolates/mutants were found to be inhibitory against R. solani cotton, six against R. solani rice and twelve against F. oxysporum tomato. Nearly 50% of the isolates/mutants were siderophore positive. The antimicrobial substance was found to be extracellular and proteinaceous in nature, but in some strains it was found to be associated with other complex material also. Almost all the positive isolates/mutants showed production of antibiotic and antifungal compounds. On the basis of this study, in vitro results under laboratory conditions were reproduced in pot experiments in the greenhouse and chosen isolates/mutants of A. chroococcum were found to be effective biocontrol agents against R. solani cotton (disease index 16.7%) and R. solani rice (2.5%) in cotton crop, whereas in guar, the crop disease index was 2.5% against R. solani cotton, 13.3% against R. solani rice and 0% against F. oxysporum tomato in tomato crop compared with their respective checks.     

Population and distribution of sclerotia of Rhizoctonia solani kühn in sugar beet field soil

The population and distribution of sclerotia of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn in two sugar beet field soils was determined at harvest by a sieving-flotation method. In rhizosphere soil (RS) and non-rhizosphere soil (NRS) from the most heavily infected roots of sugar beets, 1.43–2.5 and 0.83–1.0 sclerotia g^?1 dry soil were detected, respectively. In the soil around healthy sugar beet, these values were 0.04–0.12 and 0.03–0.04 sclerotia g^?1 dry soil. More sclerotia were always obtained from RS than from NRS. More than 80% of the sclerotia were in the upper 10 cm of soil and within 10 cm of diseased roots. Therefore, there is a non-uniform distribution of sclerotia of R. solani in soil.The sclerotial population in soil increased significantly with disease severity and a good correlation was obtained between the number of sclerotia and the disease severity on infected plants. Most of the sclerotia collected from the field soil ranged in size from 0.5 to 2.0 mm diameter.Viability of sclerotia increased as severity of crown rot increased and as the size of the sclerotia increased. Conversely, there was a progressive decrease in sclerotial germination with increasing depth in soil and increasing distance from the infected root.     

Ecoenzymes as Indicators of Compost to Suppress Rhizoctonia Solani

Reports of disease suppression by compost are inconsistent likely because there are no established standards for feedstock material, maturity age for application, and application rate. The overall goal of the study was to evaluate a suite of biological indicators for their ability to predict disease suppression. Indicators included both commercial available methods for compost stability (Solvita?, respiration) and metrics of soil ecology not yet adopted by the compost industry (e.g., ecoenzymes, nematode community index). Damping-off by Rhizoctonia solani on radish was chosen as a model system given its global importance, competitiveness affected by carbon quality, and lack of disease management options for organic production. Biological indicators were evaluated for their ability to consistently differentiate among curing process, maturity, and feedstock material as a function of disease severity of a seedling bioassay and a compost extract assay to test competition with R. solani growth. Compost processed as vermicompost and anaerobic digestate were more suppressive against R. solani than windrow or aerated static pile. Mature composts were more suppressive than immature components. Feedstocks containing dairy manure and/or hardwood bark tended to have suppressive qualities. In contrast, poultry manure-based components were conducive to disease. Microbial ecoenzymes active on chitin and cellulose and nematode community indices were better predictors of disease suppressiveness than microbial respiration. These indicators are quicker than plant bioassays and could be adopted as tools to certify commercial products.     

生物有机肥对大豆红冠腐病及土壤酶活性的影响

大豆红冠腐病是一种真菌引起的土传病害,其蔓延已经影响到大豆产业的正常发展。将腐熟的有机肥与3种生防细菌（枯草芽孢杆菌、巨大芽孢杆菌和胶质芽孢杆菌）结合,制备成生物有机肥,并通过盆栽试验方法,研究了上述生物有机肥对大豆红冠腐病的防效和对土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明,施用生物有机肥可以显著降低红冠腐病的发生,在CPC处理的防效指定为0时,生物有机肥的两个处理防效分别达到84．74％和81．30％,远远高于普通有机肥处理的防效（24．24％）。在有效养分相同的情况下,BOF处理的大豆株高、鲜重、干重和主茎节数均高于OF处理,达到显著水平,表现出显著的促生效果。施用生物有机肥以后,土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶和蔗糖酶的活性均高于对照和普通有机肥的处理,表明生物有机肥可以在一定程度上提高土壤酶的活性,改善土壤质量和肥力状况,具有防病促生的作用。     

Can placement of seed away from relic stubble limit Rhizoctonia root rot in direct-seeded wheat?

Rhizoctonia root rot of wheat can be a problem in no-till systems, especially during the transition from conventional tillage. There are no effective chemical controls or resistant varieties, leaving only cultural methods to manage this disease. In a no-till system, residue and inoculum of soilborne pathogens are not moved by cultivation, therefore the inoculum may be concentrated in the seeding row of the previous year. Using GPS tracking systems with sub-meter accuracy, the seeding row could be placed away from the row of the previous year. We tested the hypothesis that seeding away from the relic row may reduce Rhizoctonia root rot. In two field experiments, plants were sampled at three distances from the seed row, as well as from fumigated plots. Intact soil cores were also removed from the field, planted with seeds at various distances from the previous row, and grown in the greenhouse under controlled conditions. Pasteurized cores served as controls. Disease levels were higher in the field in the second year, but there was no consistent effect of seed row placement on disease or plant parameters. However, soil fumigation and pasteurization had significant effects, indicating that soilborne pathogens were active. Inoculum of Rhizoctonia is not produced in the crowns and lower stems of the plant, but the pathogen survives in living and dead roots of the previous year crop, volunteers, and grassy weeds. Thus, high inoculum densities may be present in between the relic rows, as well as within the rows. If this is the situation with Rhizoctonia, precision placement of seed rows would not be efficacious.     

Stimulation of phenolic metabolism by silicon contributes to rice resistance to sheath blight

Sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major disease of rice worldwide. Silicon (Si) can enhance rice resistance to sheath blight, but the relation with phenolic metabolism is poorly known. Two rice cultivars with different levels of resistance to R. solani (resistant Teqing and susceptible Ningjing 1) were studied to determine the effects of Si on disease intensity (rated from 0 to 9) and the involvement of phenolic compounds in disease resistance. Variation in the concentrations of phenolics (including total soluble phenolics, flavonoids, and lignin) and in the activities of defense‐related enzymes polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL) in rice leaf sheaths was investigated. The results show that Si application reduced sheath‐blight disease ratings of Ningjing 1 and Teqing by 2.96 and 0.65, respectively. In uninoculated plants, Si application alone had no significant effects on the concentrations of phenolic compounds or on the activities of PPO and PAL. In inoculated plants, Si application increased phenolics concentrations and PPO and PAL activities only in the susceptible cultivar Ningjing 1. We conclude that Si‐induced enhancement of phenolic metabolism contributed to the improved resistance of rice to sheath blight in the sensitive cultivar.     

不同连作年限马铃薯根系分泌物的成分鉴定及其生物效应

为探讨马铃薯连作障碍的可能机理,在大田条件下,收集连作1～5 a(CP1-CP5)马铃薯植株的根系分泌物,采用GC-MS对根系分泌物的主要成分进行了鉴定,并通过生物检测验证了根系分泌物的生物效应。结果表明:CP1-CP5鉴定出的物质主要有酸类、糖类、胺类、醇类、酯类和嘧啶类,但各类物质的数量和含量不同。CP1-CP5中均鉴定出棕榈酸,相对含量分别为0.55%、0.87%、1.24%、1.05%和0.95%,浓度分别为7.12 mg×L~(-1)、7.39 mg×L~(-1)、9.46 mg×L~(-1)、8.38 mg×L~(-1)和8.02 mg×L~(-1)。马铃薯根系分泌物显著抑制了马铃薯的生长,抑制作用随连作年限延长而增强。棕榈酸对马铃薯生长的抑制表现出明显的浓度效应,随浓度升高而增强。马铃薯根系分泌物明显促进了立枯丝核菌的生长,菌落直径和菌丝鲜质量表现为CP3最高,CP1最低,CP2、CP4和CP5之间没有显著差异。棕榈酸明显促进了立枯丝核菌的生长,随着棕榈酸浓度的增加,菌落直径和菌丝鲜质量先增加再减小, 10 mg×L~(-1)棕榈酸的菌落直径和菌丝鲜质量最大。由此说明,随马铃薯连作年限延长,根系分泌物的毒性越强;马铃薯根系分泌物对立枯丝核菌的促进作用加剧了马铃薯的连作障碍,棕榈酸是马铃薯根系分泌的化感自毒物质。     

Aphanomyces pea root rot disease and control with special reference to impact of Brassicaceae cover crops

Abstract

Pea root rot disease caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches deserves increased attention, since peas are an important cash crop and also improve the N balance in temperate agriculture. However, due to pea root rot it is difficult to cultivate peas as frequently and successfully as desired. In the search for biological measures to overcome this problem, attention has been drawn to the use of Brassicaceae plants as cover crops between main crops, since these can be effective catch crops for nutrients and also exert allelopathic effects. Many species within the Brassicaceae contain glucosinolates (GSLs). Their hydrolysis products, the volatile isothiocyanates (ITCs), have been shown to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens such as A. euteiches. In addition, Brassicaceae biomass releases water-soluble toxic substances such as oxazolidine-2-thione and supplies nutrients and organic matter. Overall, this influences the soil microbial community and the final suppression of pathogens. Due to the unpredictability of the control effect of Brassicaceae biomass incorporation into soil on the pathogen, there is a need to define the mechanisms behind suppression in the field situation. This review focuses on how incorporation of Brassicaceae biomass suppresses A. euteiches under field conditions and the effect on the emerging pea. Different factors influencing the severity of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) root rot disease are also discussed. One conclusion is that suppression of pea root rot depends on the quality and quantity of incorporated Brassicaceae biomass.     

Interaction between a fungal plant disease,fungivorous nematodes and compost suppressiveness

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that the fungivorous nematodes Aphelenchoides spp. and Aphelenchus avenae can suppress damping-off caused by Rhizoctonia solani in cauliflower seedlings, and enhance the disease-suppressive effect of compost. In greenhouse experiments, we used two different composts mixed with peat (20% + 80%) and pure peat as growth substrates in growing pots. In each substrate, treatments were: (A) with R. solani and nematodes, (B) with R. solani, (C) with nematodes, (D) control without R. solani or nematodes. Treatment effects were measured as percentage of healthy seedlings 7, 10 and 14 days after start of the experiment. We conducted two different experiments with the treatments A–D; one with Aphelenchoides spp. and one with Aphelenchus avenae. Aphelenchoides spp.+R. solani (treatment A) had 85% healthy plants (= control without addition of fungi (D)) compared with 45% in R. solani without nematodes (B). Aphelenchus avenae suppressed damping-off significantly in all substrates, from almost 100% dead plants in peat with R. solani to 65% healthy plants in R. solani+A. avenae. One compost mixture had an intrinsic suppressive effect on damping-off, while plant health in the other compost mixture was not better than in 100% peat as growing substrate. There were no additive suppressive effects (enhancement) between nematode effects and the suppressive compost. The results demonstrate the ability of fungivorous nematodes to suppress plant diseases. The effects of fungivorous nematodes in combination with compost and other control measures on disease suppression need further attention. The usefulness of fungivorous nematodes in agriculture and horticulture is discussed.     

鸭粪提取物对水稻纹枯病菌的影响及其有效成分分析

为探明稻鸭共养模式抑制水稻纹枯病发生的原因,以稻鸭共养模式的鸭粪提取物为研究对象,对其抑菌活性及有效成分进行了测定和分析,以期为水稻纹枯病生物防治提供新的途径。结果表明:鸭粪乙醇提取物对水稻纹枯病菌有抑制作用,24h内最高菌丝生长抑制率和EC50分别为88.64%、26.11mg·mL-1;鸭粪乙醇提取物经萃取分离得到石油醚和乙酸乙酯两种组分,其中石油醚组分抑菌效果较弱,乙酸乙酯组分抑菌能力较强,其对水稻纹枯病菌抑制率为89.70%,EC50为15.52mg·mL-1;对乙酸乙酯组分进行硅胶柱层析分离得到5种流份,其中第2流份有显著抑菌活性,在24h和48h内对水稻纹枯病菌的抑制率分别为89.58%和80.36%。GC-MS分析表明,鸭粪的抑菌物质主要为酚酸类和含硫醇有机物质,进一步纯化和鉴定有待研究。     

A nonpathogenic species of binucleate Rhizoctonia inhibits the formation of infection structures caused by Rhizoctonia solani on cucumber

Binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) W7 was evaluated for the efficacy to control damping-off disease in cucumber seedlings. Results revealed that Lobate appresoria and dome-shaped infection cushion were produced by virulent Rhizoctonia solani C9 AG4 on the surface of the cucumber seedling hypocotyls, causing damping-off, 12 h after inoculation. A significant positive correlation was observed between disease severity rating and number of infection cushions (r = 0.94) and appresoria (r = 0.97) on the hypocotyls of seedlings inoculated with virulent R. solani C9 alone. Inoculation of a nonpathogenic species of BNR prior to virulent R. solani significantly reduced the number of appresoria on hypocotyls surface and inhibited the formation of infection cushions that accompanied by highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) reduction in disease severity in comparison with seedling inoculated with R. solani C9 alone. Formation of mucilaginous material upon recognition of the nonpathogenic isolate of BNR followed by hyphal lysis of BNR W7 6 h after inoculation was responsible for reduction in appresorium formation and complete inhibition of infection cushion formation. However, the number of infection structures produced on cucumber was not significantly different for hypocotyls of seedlings inoculated with R. solani C9 with and without the nonpathogenic BNR W7.     

Biocontrol of soil diseases and soil profile associated with rhizosphere of rice (Oryza sativa Subsp. Japonica) growing paddy fields in Kansai region,Japan

ABSTRACT

This research focused on in vitro and in vivo biocontrol of two major rice diseases, Bacterial Leaf Blight caused by Xanthomonus oryzae pv oryzae (Xoo) and Sheath Blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Furthermore, the soil of paddy fields in Kansai region, Japan was analysed for the presence of these pathogens, and their microbial communities were evaluated according to the location and management systems. For biocontrol, the rhizospheric bacteria were isolated and molecularly identified. The results indicated that DAR17225040 and DAR17225017 were 99% similar to Bacillus aryabhattai and Bacillus megaterium. The isolated bacteria were able to suppress Bacterial Leaf Blight and Sheath Blight disease 78% and 86% respectively, under greenhouse conditions. The 16S amplicon sequencing (Illumina MiSeq 250bp) was used to analyse the bacterial community in paddy fields of soil taken from five locations under conventional and organic systems. Xoo and R. solani were detected in sampled soil, however, no clear difference was noted, regarding systems. From amplicon sequencing data, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes were the dominant phyla of rice soil in Kansai region. The phylum Kazan-3B-28 was found more in organic system than conventional. The bacterial community was more affected by location and soil type than by management systems.     

Soil structure and soil-borne diseases: using epidemiological concepts to scale from fungal spread to plant epidemics

Many epidemics of root diseases involving soil fungi depend on the interplay between fungal growth and the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the soil environment. Colonization or infection of a root occurs at fine scales with growth and movement of fungal mycelia through soil. However, epidemics are observed at coarser scales, and depend on a cascading spread through populations of roots. We briefly review conventional analyses of soil‐borne epidemics and argue that these treat soil physical conditions at scales too coarse to be meaningful for interactions between soil, plants and fungi, and fail to consider the effect of soil physical conditions on the underlying epidemiological processes. Instead, we propose a conceptual epidemiological framework that integrates spatial scales and use this to review the effect of soil structure on the dynamics of soil‐borne pathogenic fungi. Using the soil‐borne fungal plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani as an example, we demonstrate that invasion of fungi into host populations is critically affected by environmental conditions operating at each of two scales: (i) at the microscopic scale (μm ? cm) the fungus preferentially explores certain pathways in soil, and small changes in soil physical conditions make the fungus switch from small, dense colonies to large, sparse and rapidly expanding ones; (ii) at the larger scale (cm ? dm) a critical density of susceptible hosts is required, in excess of which fungi switch from non‐invasive to invasive spread. Finally, we suggest that the approach will increase the applicability of research dealing with microscopic soil–plant–microbe interactions towards the solution of large‐scale epidemiological problems.     

玉米残体分解对不同肥力棕壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的影响

以棕壤肥料长期定位试验(29 a)形成的高、低两种肥力水平棕壤为研究对象,采用不同部位玉米残体为试验试材,分别向两种土壤中加入玉米根茬和茎叶,进行田间原位培养试验,试验设置6个处理:低肥力土壤添加玉米根茬(LF+R)、低肥力土壤添加玉米茎叶(LF+S)、高肥力土壤添加玉米根茬(HF+R)、高肥力土壤添加玉米茎叶(HF+S)和未添加玉米残体的对照处理(LF,HF)。本研究旨在探明玉米根茬、茎叶添加后不同肥力土壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的变化规律,为构建合理的秸秆还田与施肥措施,减少土壤侵蚀提供理论依据。结果表明:1)添加玉米残体后低肥力棕壤团聚体稳定性、较大级别团聚体(2 mm和1~2 mm)有机碳贡献率的提升幅度比高肥力棕壤大,说明低肥力土壤对外源有机质的响应更敏感,向大团聚体转化的速率更快。2)培养结束时,高肥力棕壤添加茎叶处理团聚体稳定性显著高于添加根茬处理,而添加根茬处理各粒级团聚体有机碳含量显著高于添加茎叶处理;低肥力棕壤中根茬和茎叶添加处理团聚体稳定性及有机碳含量之间差异不明显。3)在田间原位培养过程中,棕壤2 mm和1~2 mm团聚体所占比例和团聚体稳定性呈现出前期(0~360 d)快速增加,后期(360~720 d)趋于稳定的趋势。可以看出,玉米残体对土壤团聚体团聚化过程的作用强度逐渐减弱。以上结果表明,作物残体输入对棕壤团聚体组成及有机碳分布的影响与棕壤肥力水平和不同残体部位间的差异关系密切。     

植树造林对土壤性质和菌根形成的影响

A study was conducted on Cambisols in Northern Germany to analyze the effect of fast growing trees （Salix and Populus spp.） used in agroforestry on soil chemical and physical properties and also on endo- and ectomycorrhizal colonization of the fine roots. Representative plots of three trials, Giilzow （GUL）, Vipperow （VIP） and Rostock （ROS）, were used to measure the topsoil inventories at the very beginning and after six （GUL）, seven （VIP） and ten （ROS） years of afforestation with fast growing trees. The effect on soil organic carbon, plant available nutrients, reaction, bulk density, porosity and water conditions was analyzed, Arable soils without tree coppice were used as controls. Additionally, the endoand ectomycorrhizal colonization of two Salix and two Populus clones were investigated at one site （GUL） in 2002. The amounts of organic carbon in the topsoil increased significantly （P 〈 0.01） presumably induced by leaf and root litter and also by the lack of tillage. The soil bulk density significantly decreased and the porosity of the soil increased significantly （both P 〈 0.01）. The proportion of medium pores in the soil also rose significantly （P 〈 0.05 and 0.01）. Generally, afforestation of arable soils improved soil water retention. Ectomycorrhizas dominated the mycorrhizal formation of the Salix and Populus clones, with the accumulation of organic matter in the topsoil suspected of supporting the ectomycorrhizal formation. Thus, agroforestry with Salix and Populus spp. conspicuously affected chemical and additionally physical properties of the top layer of Cambisols within a period of six years.     

Soils suppressive to Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici: Effects on other fungi

The effect of soils suppressive to Gaumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) on the severity of root and crown rots caused by Rhizoctonia solani, Gibberella zeae, Pythium irregulare, Cochliobolus sativus and Fusarium culmorum was tested in pot bioassays. An induced suppressive soil was obtained from the rhizosphere of wheat plants grown at 15°C for 28 days in fumigated soil inoculated with live inoculum (colonized oat grain) of Ggt.Root rot caused by R. solani was significantly less in soil amended with either induced or naturally suppressive soil. Disease caused by the other pathogens was also reduced by the induced suppressive soil, with the least reduction occurring with F. culmorum.Colonization of the surfaces of seminal roots of wheat plants by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis (Ggg) and a Phialophora-like fungus (Plf 119) was also studied using the line-intercept method. In non-suppressive soil the maximum area of the primary seminal root colonized by Ggg was 7.4 per cent and by Plf 119 was 3.3 per cent. Colonization of roots by Ggg and Plf 119 was reduced substantially by the addition of induced suppressive soil.