不同供氮水平下加拿大一枝黄花的化感作用与资源竞争分析

为探讨加拿大一枝黄花在入侵过程中的化感作用与资源竞争之间的关系,采用化感-竞争分离法,分析了加拿大一枝黄花在入侵过程中其化感作用与资源竞争及在不同氮水平下的反应特性。结果表明,外来入侵杂草加拿大一枝黄花具有较强的生物干扰能力,在不同氮素水平下,其资源竞争能力较强且表现稳定,但化感作用潜力则随供氮水平的下降而明显增强,土著植物一枝黄花不具化感作用潜力,在供氮水平充足下,其资源竞争能力减弱,但氮胁迫下却明显增强,这被认为是在环境资源匮乏时生态位之间竞争加剧的结果。     

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.     

Re-establishment of suppressiveness to soil- and air-borne diseases by re-inoculation of soil microbial communities

The aim of this study was to investigate the potentials and limitations in restoring soil suppressiveness in disturbed soils. Soils from three sites in UK and Switzerland (STC, REC, THE) differing in their level of suppressiveness to soil-borne and air-borne diseases were γ-irradiated and this soil matrix was re-inoculated with 1% (w/w) of either parent native soil or native soil from the other sites (‘soil inoculum’). Suppressiveness to air-borne and soil-borne diseases was quantified by means of the host-pathogen systems Lepidium sativum (cress)-Pythium ultimum, an oomycete causing root rot and seedling damping-off, and Arabidopsis thaliana-Hyaloperonospora parasitica, an oomycete causing downy mildew. Soil microbial biomass, activity and community structure, as determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, were measured in native, γ-irradiated, and re-inoculated soils. Both, L. sativum and A. thaliana were highly susceptible to the pathogens if grown on γ-irradiated soils. Re-inoculation completely restored suppressiveness of soils to the foliar pathogen H. parasitica, independently of soil matrix or soil inoculum, whereas suppressiveness to P. ultimum depended on the soil matrix and, to a lesser extent, on the soil inoculum. However, the soil with the highest inherent suppressiveness did not reach the initial level of suppressiveness after re-inoculation. In addition, native microbial populations as defined by microbial biomass, activity and community structure, could not be fully restored in re-inoculated soils. As for suppressiveness to P. ultimum, the soil matrix, rather than the source of soil inoculum was identified as the key factor for re-establishing the microbial community structure. Our data show that soils do not or only slowly fully recover from sterilisation by γ-irradiation, indicating that agricultural soil management practices such as soil fumigation or heat treatments frequently used in vegetable cropping should be avoided.     

Quantification of Pythium populations in ginseng soils by culture dependent and real-time PCR methods

Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is widely cultivated in North America as a medicinal herb. However, yields are often reduced by various root pathogens, including Pythium species, which cause damping-off in young plants. In order to improve the prediction of disease risk, real-time PCR assays were developed and used in conjunction with dilution plating on selective media to quantify populations of Pythium irregulare Buisman and Pythium ultimum Trow directly from soil. The assays were tested on artificially infested soils and then used on a variety of naturally infested, ginseng-cultivated soils in south-western Ontario. Data on P. ultimum DNA concentrations were positively correlated with the number of P. ultimum viable propagules on selective media. However, in the case of P. irregulare, the presence of cryptic species resulted in incongruent relationships between the dilution plate and real-time PCR data. We therefore sequenced the ITS region of a large number of P. irregulare isolates in order to determine the proportion that would be detected by the real-time PCR assay. The ability to quantify pathogen populations directly from soils using real-time PCR (calibrated with data on inoculum potential) will improve disease risk assessment and lead to a reduction in pesticide application.     

Species groups occupying different trophic levels respond differently to the invasion of semi-natural vegetation by Solidago canadensis

We studied the impact of the invasive plant species Solidago canadensis on the species richness of vascular plants and the abundance, species richness and diversity of butterflies, hoverflies and carabid beetles in herbaceous semi-natural habitats near Ljubljana, Slovenia. The species groups were sampled in sites dominated by S. canadensis and paired nearby sites covered by semi-natural vegetation. Plant species richness and species richness, abundance and diversity of butterfly species were lower in plots dominated by S. canadensis. Hoverfly abundance, diversity and species richness were negatively affected only in July just before the onset of flowering of S. canadensis, but tended to be positively affected in August during the height of flowering of S. canadensis. Only the abundance of carabid beetles was reduced in plots dominated by S. canadensis. The responses of the insect groups seem largely driven by the effects of Solidago on the availability of essential resources like food or larval host plants. Our results suggest that insect species that are closely related to plant species composition are more vulnerable to the effects of invasive plant species than those that are loosely or only indirectly related to plant species composition.     

Rhizosphere colonization by Serratia marcescens for the control of Sclerotium rolfsii

Two-hundred and three different strains of bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of bean, peanut and chickpea plants grown in Sclerotium rolfsii infested soil. A bacterium, identified as Serratia marcescens, was found to be the best biocontrol agent of the pathogen, under greenhouse conditions (up to 75% disease reduction). Populations of 10⁵ or 10⁶ CFU g⁻¹ soil were the most effective in disease control. The drench and drip application of S. marcescens suspension were more effective in controlling S. rolfsii than spraying, mixing in soil or seed coating. This bacterium significantly reduced damping-off incidence of bean, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, by 50%, but was not effective against Pythium aphanidematum in cucumber. A natural mutant of S. marcescens, resistant to the antibiotic rifampicin, was isolated. The mutant, effective as the wild type, was used to study rhizosphere colonization. The highest population density of the bacteria was found on the proximal portion of the root, decreasing significantly until the tips, where they increased again.     

Effect of successive cauliflower plantings and Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-1 inoculations on disease suppressiveness of a suppressive and a conducive soil

Disease suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-1 in cauliflower was studied in two marine clay soils with a sandy loam texture. The soils had a different cropping history. One soil had a long-term (40 years) cauliflower history and was suppressive, the other soil was conducive and came from a pear orchard not having a cauliflower crop for at least 40 years. These two soils were subjected to five successive cropping cycles with cauliflower or remaining fallow in a greenhouse experiment. Soils were inoculated with R. solani AG 2-1 only once or before every crop. Disease decline occurred in all treatments cropped with cauliflower, either because of a decreased pathogen population or increased suppressiveness of the soil. Disease suppressiveness tests indicated that the conducive soil became suppressive after five subsequent cauliflower crops inoculated each cycle with R. solani AG 2-1. Suppressiveness of all treatments was measured in a seed germination test (pre-emergence damping-off) as well as by measuring the spread of R. solani symptoms in young plants (post-emergence damping-off). Results showed that suppressiveness was significantly stimulated by the successive R. solani inoculations; presence of the cauliflower crop had less effect. Suppressiveness was of biological origin, since it disappeared after sterilization of the soil. Moreover, suppressiveness could be translocated by adding 10% suppressive soil into sterilized soil. The suppressive soil contained higher numbers of culturable filamentous actinomycetes than the conducive soil, but treatments enhancing suppressiveness did not show an increased actinomycetes population. The suppressiveness of the soil samples did also not correlate with the number of pseudomonads. Moreover, no correlation was found with the presence of different mycoparasitic fungi, i.e. Volutella spp., Gliocladium roseum, Verticillium biguttatum and Trichoderma spp. The suppressive soil contained a high percentage of bacteria with a strong in vitro inhibition of R. solani. These bacteria were identified as Lysobacter (56%), Streptomyces (23%) and Pseudomonas (21%) spp. A potential role of Lysobacter in soil suppressiveness was confirmed by quantitative PCR detection (TaqMan), since a larger Lysobacter population was present in suppressive cauliflower soil than in conducive pear orchard soil. Our experiments showed that successive cauliflower plantings can cause a decline of the damage caused by R. solani AG 2-1, and that natural disease suppressiveness was most pronounced after subsequent inoculations with the pathogen. The mode of action of the decline is not yet understood, but antagonistic Lysobacter spp. are potential key organisms.     

Biological control of damping-off caused by Rhizoctonia solani using chitinase-producing Paenibacillus illinoisensis KJA-424

A bacterium having strong chitinolytic activity was isolated from a coastal soil in Korea and identified as Paenibacillus illinoisensis KJA-424 on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of a 16S rRNA gene. By activity staining after SDS-PAGE, three major chitinase bands with chitinolytic activity, approximate molecular weight of 63, 54 and 38 kDa were detected. On co-culture Rhizoctonia solani with KJA-424, abnormal swelling and deformation of R. solani hyphae were observed, where the release of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine was detected. The bacterium suppressed the symptom of damping-off cucumber seedlings caused by R. solani, in greenhouse trial.     

Suppression of damping-off of cucumber caused by Pythium ultimum with live cells and extracts of Serratia marcescens N4-5

Environmentally friendly control measures are needed for the soil-borne pathogen, Pythium ultimum. This pathogen can cause severe losses to field- and greenhouse-grown cucumber and other cucurbits. Live cells and ethanol extracts of cultures of the bacterium Serratia marcescens N4-5 provided significant suppression of damping-off of cucumber caused by P. ultimum when applied as a seed treatment. Live cells of this bacterium also suppressed damping-off caused by P. ultimum on cantaloupe, muskmelon, and pumpkin. Culture filtrates from strain N4-5 contained chitinase and protease activities while ethanol extracts contained the antibiotic prodigiosin, the surfactant serrawettin W1, and possibly other unidentified surfactants. Production of prodigiosin and serrawettin W1 was temperature-dependent, both compounds being detected in extracts from N4-5 grown at 28 °C but not in extracts from N4-5 grown at 37 °C. Ethanol extracts from strain N4-5 grown at 28 °C inhibited germination of sporangia and mycelial growth by P. ultimum in in vitro experiments. There was no in vitro inhibition of P. ultimum associated with ethanol extracts of strain N4-5 grown at 37 °C. Prodigiosin, purified from two consecutive thin-layer chromatography runs using different solvent systems, inhibited germination of sporangia and mycelial growth of P. ultimum. Another unidentified compound(s) also inhibited germination of sporangia but did not inhibit mycelial growth. There was no in vitro inhibition associated with serrawettin W1. These results demonstrate that live cells and cell-free extracts of S. marcescens N4-5 are effective for suppression of damping-off of cucumber caused by P. ultimum possibly due in part to the production of the antibiotic prodigiosin.     

Saprophytic growth of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG2-1 (ZG5) in soil amended with fresh green manures affects the severity of damping-off in canola

Plants of the Brassicaceae contain glucosinolates, the hydrolysis products of which inhibit the growth of many soil-borne fungi that cause plant disease. However, amending soil with green manures of these plants gives inconsistent control of several soil-borne diseases, including those caused by Rhizoctonia solani. To identify factors that contribute to this inconsistency we investigated, in the laboratory and in pot experiments in the glasshouse, the saprophytic behaviour of R. solani AG2-1 (ZG5) in a sandy soil amended with various green manures. Fresh material from either Brassica napus var. Karoo, B. napus B1, B. napus B2, B. nigra, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (a brassicaceous weed) and the non-Brassicaceae species, oat (Avena sativa) or lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) was used at 10 or 100 g of fresh material kg⁻¹ of dry soil in Lancelin sand. At 100 g kg⁻¹ the volatiles of all green manures reduced the hyphal growth of R. solani, except for B. napus B1. D. tenuifolia at 100 g kg⁻¹ inhibited the growth and sclerotial formation of R. solani. Most green manures at 10 g kg⁻¹, and at 40% water holding capacity, stimulated the growth of R. solani for up to 3 months and increased the activity of other microbes. R. solani infected the brassicaceous plants when growing and colonized the residues mixed with soil at 10 g kg⁻¹. This inoculum increased the severity of damping-off in canola, by 27%. Disease was particularly severe when the green manure species, except D. tenuifolia and oat, were grown in situ and residues returned to the pot from which they came, before sowing canola. There is a potential hazard in applying green manures of Brassica species as their residues can, under certain conditions, support the saprophytic activity of R. solani which increases damping-off in canola sown in the amended soils.     

Effects of the invader Solidago canadensis on soil properties

A perennial goldenrod weed, Solidago canadensis, is rapidly spreading in China and now poses a serious threat to native ecosystem structure and function. Little is known about the effects of S. canadensis invasion on rhizosphere physico-chemical properties and microbial communities. The objective of this study was to compare the soil physico-chemical properties and microbial communities of invaded (two ecotone sites and one monoculture site) and native plant rhizospheres in field areas of Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Compared with those in the native site, soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, NO₃-N, available phosphorus content, and aggregate stability consistently decreased with S. canadensis invasion, while soil organic carbon, NH₄-N content, pH, and bulk density in the invaded sites significantly increased. Soil microbial biomass (expressed by carbon, nitrogen, or phosphorus content), activity (basal respiration and substrate induced respiration), and functional diversity (calculated from the average well color development (AWCD) of 31 carbon sources in a BIOLOG Ecoplate) significantly increased with S. canadensis invasion. Microbial utilization of carbohydrate groups significantly increased in the invaded sites, while the utilization of carboxylic acids and amines/amides groups significantly decreased. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the AWCD data indicated that the heavily invaded site (monoculture) was clearly separated from the native site. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that soil organic carbon, NH₄-N, NO₃-N, and pH significantly impacted the dynamics of microbial parameters across the invaded sites. These results suggested that several soil chemical properties (e.g., organic carbon, NH₄-N, and pH) and microbial parameters (e.g., microbial biomass, basal respiration, substrate induced respiration, and functional diversity) might be used as indicators of S. canadensis invasion density.     

Suppressiveness of 18 composts against 7 pathosystems: Variability in pathogen response

Compost is often reported as a substrate that is able to suppress soilborne plant pathogens, but suppression varies according to the type of compost and pathosystem. Reports often deal with a single pathogen while in reality crops are attacked by multiple plant pathogens. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the disease suppression ability of a wide range of composts for a range of plant pathogens. This study was conducted by a consortium of researchers from several European countries. Composts originated from different countries and source materials including green and yard waste, straw, bark, biowaste and municipal sewage. Suppressiveness of compost-amended (20% vol./vol.) peat-based potting soil was determined against Verticillium dahliae on eggplant, Rhizoctonia solani on cauliflower, Phytophthora nicotianae on tomato, Phytophthora cinnamomi on lupin and Cylindrocladium spathiphylli on Spathiphyllum sp., and of compost-amended loamy soil (20% vol./vol.) against R. solani on Pinus sylvestris and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini on flax. From the 120 bioassays involving 18 composts and 7 pathosystems, significant disease suppression was found in 54% of the cases while only 3% of the cases showed significant disease enhancement. Pathogens were affected differently by the composts. In general, prediction of disease suppression was better when parameters derived from the compost mixes were used rather than those derived from the pure composts. Regression analyses of disease suppression of the individual pathogens with parameters of compost-amended peat-based mixes revealed the following groupings: (1) competition-sensitive: F. oxysporum and R. solani/cauliflower; (2) rhizosphere-affected: V. dahliae; (3) pH-related: P. nicotianae; and (4) specific/unknown: R. solani/pine, P. cinnamomi and C. spathiphylli. It was concluded that application of compost has in general a positive or no effect on disease suppression, and only rarely a disease stimulating effect.     

A multi-phasic approach reveals that apple replant disease is caused by multiple biological agents, with some agents acting synergistically

Apple replant disease (ARD) has been reported from all major fruit-growing regions of the world, and is often caused by a consortium of biological agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology of ARD in South Africa in six orchard soils, using a multiphasic approach under glasshouse conditions. This approach first involved determining the ARD status of the soils by monitoring apple seedling growth responses in non-treated soil versus growth in pasteurized soil, as well as in 15% non-treated soil that was diluted into pasteurized soil. Subsequently, the potential for specific organisms to function as causal agents of ARD was investigated using (i) biocide applications, (ii) quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analyses of ARD ‘marker’ microbes (Pythium irregulare, Pythium sylvaticum, Pythium ultimum, Pythium vexans, Rhizoctonia solani AG-5 and the genera Cylindrocarpon and Phytophthora), (iii) nematode analyses, (iv) isolation of actinomycetes and (v) pathogenicity testing of actinomycetes individually, and when co-inoculated with P. irregulare or Cylindrocarpon macrodidymum. The analyses showed that the soils could be grouped into low, moderate and severe ARD soils, with each group containing two soils. Several lines of evidence suggested that actinomycetes are not involved in ARD in South Africa. Multiple biological agents were determined to contribute to ARD including (i) oomycetes (Phytophthora and Pythium) that are important based upon their widespread occurrence, and the fact that metalaxyl application improved seedling growth in four soils (ii) the genus Cylindrocarpon that was also widespread, and for which a synergistic interaction with P. irregulare was demonstrated and (iii) occasionally parasitic nematodes, mainly Pratylenchus penetrans, Pratylenchus scribneri and Pratylenchus delattrei, since fenamiphos application improved seedling growth in two orchards. qPCR analyses of the ARD marker microbes showed that R. solani AG-5 is absent from South African orchards, and that P. ultimum is widespread, even though the latter species could not be detected in previous isolation studies. The other marker microbes were also widespread, with the exception of P. sylvaticum. qPCR quantification of the marker microbes could not be correlated with the severity of ARD in any manner. qPCR analyses did, however, show that possible root pruning pathogens such as P. irregulare, P. sylvaticum and P. ultimum had much lower DNA concentrations in seedling roots than P. vexans and the genera Cylindrocarpon and Phytophthora.     

Benefactor and allelopathic shrub species have different effects on the soil microbial community along an environmental severity gradient

Patches where shrubs have either positive or negative effects on their understory plant community are common in arid ecosystems. The intensity and balance of these effects change along environmental severity gradients but, despite the major role of soil microbes in plant interactions, little is known about the differences among soil microbial communities under these species and their possible influence on such contrasting shrub effects. We hypothesized that microbial communities associated to benefactor and allelopathic shrubs would differ among them and that differences would increase with environmental severity. To test these hypotheses we characterized soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition under a benefactor shrub species, Retama sphaerocarpa, an allelopathic shrub species, Thymus hyemalis, and in bare soil among plants (gaps) at three sites along an environmental severity gradient. Shrubs promoted an increase in soil bacterial diversity, being bacterial communities associated to benefactor shrubs, allelopathic shrubs and gaps different in composition. Microbial enzymatic activity and biomass increased under shrubs and under more mesic conditions; nonetheless, they were highest under benefactor shrubs at the most arid site and under allelopathic shrubs at the less severe site. Compared to gaps, the presence of shrubs induced changes in microbial activity and community composition that were larger at the most severe site than at the less severe site. Along the gradient, benefactor shrubs enhanced the abundance of bacterial groups involved in organic matter decomposition and N fixation as well as plant pathogens, which could contribute to Retama's outstanding positive effects on understory plant biomass and diversity. Plant patches mitigate the effects of extreme conditions on associated plant and soil microbial communities and promote soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in arid ecosystems, with shrubs actively selecting for specific microbial groups in their understory.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and phosphorus acquisition of plants: effects of coexisting plant species

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi influence interactions among plant species through enhancing nutrient uptake and possibly facilitating nutrient transport among plants. However, the effects of one plant species on coexisting plant species with regard to mycorrhizal colonization are not well understood. We examined root mycorrhizal colonization and phosphorus (P) acquisition of plants in a highly P-limiting soil in Lanxi city, Zhejiang, China from the year 2000 to 2002. Three dominant native plant species with different mycorrhizal properties, Digitaria ciliaris (poorly mycorrhizal species), Ixeris denticulate (moderately mycorrhizal species) and Kummerowia striata (highly mycorrhizal species), were planted in experimental plots. In the monocultures, K. striata was found to have the highest infection and D. ciliaris the lowest mycorrhizal infection, but shoot P-concentration was higher in both I. denticulate and D. ciliaris than that in K. striata. In the mixtures, D. ciliaris and I. denticulate did not significantly affect the mycorrhizal colonization, spore production and shoot P-concentration of K. striata plants, but K. striata and I. denticulate significantly increased root mycorrhizal colonization and shoot P-concentration of D. ciliaris. K. striata enhanced but D. ciliaris reduced mycorrhizal infection and shoot P-concentration of I. denticulate. These results suggested that highly mycorrhizal plant species may positively impact coexisting species with respect to mycorrhizal colonization and P acquisition, but the effects on poorly mycorrhizal species are less predictable.     

Effect of sewage sludge on suppressiveness to soil-borne plant pathogens

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge on soil suppressiveness to the pathogens Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici on tomato, Sclerotium rolfsii on bean, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on tomato, Rhizoctonia solani on radish, Pythium spp. on cucumber, and Ralstonia solanacearum on tomato. Soil samples were collected from an experimental corn field in which sewage sludge had been incorporated once a year, since 1999. Sludge from two sewage treatment stations in Brazil (Franca and Barueri, SP) were applied at the rates of one (1N), two (2N), four (4N) and eight (8N) times the N recommended doses for the corn crop. Soil suppressiveness was evaluated by methods using indicator host plants, baits and mycelial growth. There was no effect of sewage sludge on soil suppressiveness to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato plants. For S. rolfsii, reduction of the disease in bean was inversely proportional to the dose of Franca sludge. The incidence of dead plants, caused by S. sclerotiorum, was directly proportional to sludge doses applied. For R. solani and R. solanacearum, there was a linear trend with reduction in plant death in soils treated with increasing amounts of sludge from Franca. There was an increase in the pathogen community of Pythium spp., proportional to the amounts of sewage applied. The effects of sewage sludge varied depending on the pathogen, methodology applied and on the time interval between the sewage sludge incorporation and soil sampling.     

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.     

Methods for Determining Pythium Suppression In Container Media

Pythium damping-off and root-rot are among the most important soilborne diseases of greenhouse plants and seedlings grown in container media. It has been shown previously that composts may be conducive, suppressive or partially suppressive to Pythium diseases. The major goal of this work was to investigate rapid, practical and reliable methods for determining of the degree of suppressiveness of container media to Pythium damping-off. Several inoculation methods were tested in greenhouse bioassays, survival of propagules in suppressive versus conducive media was studied under laboratory conditions. Although both greenhouse and laboratory tests could indicate disease suppression, a bioassay with cucumber seedlings is suggested to be the most simple, effective and comprehensive method for testing suppression of Pythium diseases in compost amended container media.     

Growth promotion and protection against damping-off of wheat by two rock phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes in a P-deficient soil under greenhouse conditions

Micromonospora aurantiaca- and Streptomyces griseus-related strains isolated from Moroccan phosphate mines (MA^MPM and SG^MPM) were previously selected for their rock phosphate (RP) solubilizing abilities and their multiple plant growth promoting properties demonstrated in laboratory conditions. In order to assess whether these interesting properties could have a direct effect on plant growth and fitness, seeds of the wheat plant (Triticum durum L. cv. Vitron) coated or not with mycelium of these strains and of the reference strain S. griseus M1323, were grown in a sterile soil deficient in soluble phosphate supplemented or not with soluble phosphate or with the insoluble RP, under greenhouse conditions. These studies revealed that the presence of the actinomycete strains in the soil supplemented with RP significantly promoted the growth of the wheat plants. MA^MPM and SG^MPM had the greatest stimulatory effect on plant growth with 50–47% and 80–78% weight increase of shoots and roots, respectively, in comparison with the sterile control. This increase correlated with a significant increase in the N and P content of plant tissues. The MA^MPM- and SG^MPM-dependent growth promotion in the RP supplemented soil was on average 10–13% lower than that achieved by the soluble phosphate supplement. Furthermore, in a soil infested with Pythium ultimum, the mediator of damping-off disease, the coating of wheat seeds with the mycelium of MA^MPM strain resulted in a clear protection of the plant. The level of protection achieved by MA^MPM was 14% lower than that conferred by the commercial bio-fungicide agent (Mycostop^®). This study demonstrated that MA^MPM in association with pulverized RP could constitute a novel and non-polluting bio-fertilizer/biocontrol product useful for the development of sustainable agriculture.     

Cause and duration of mustard incorporation effects on soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi

Two fungal plant pathogens, Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lini, were studied in relation to general responses of soil fungi and bacteria following incorporation of Brassica juncea. Our aim was to understand to what extent the changes in the biological and physicochemical characteristics of the soil could explain the effects on the studied pathogens and diseases, and to determine the temporal nature of the responses. Short-term effects of mustard incorporation (up to 4 months) were investigated in a microcosm experiment, and compared with a treatment where composted plant material was incorporated. In a field experiment, the responses were followed up to 11 months after removal or incorporation of a mustard crop. In general, responses in the variables measured changed more after incorporation of fresh mustard material than after addition of similar amounts of composted plant material (microcosms) or after removal of the mustard crop (field). The soil inoculum potential of R. solani AG 2-2 decreased directly after incorporation of mustard, but increased later to disease levels above those in the untreated soil. Neither of these effects could be explained by changes in the population density of R. solani AG 2-2. Fusarium spp. were less influenced, although an increase in the suppressiveness to Fusarium wilt was observed after mustard incorporation as compared with the treatment where mustard was removed. The microbial responses to mustard incorporation were more pronounced for bacteria than for fungi. After an initial substantial increase, the bacterial density decreased but remained above the levels in the control treatment throughout the experimental periods. The bacterial community structure was modified up to 8 months after mustard incorporation. We conclude that incorporation of fresh mustard influences soil microbial communities, especially the bacteria, and has a potential to control the pathogenic activity of R. solani 2-2 on a short-term perspective. The time dependency in microbial responses is important and should be taken into consideration for the evaluation of the potential of Brassicas to control plant disease on a field scale.