Effect of crop rotation,cultivar and nematicide on growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in short rotations on a marine clay soil

Summary The effects of cropping frequency on the yield of potato and on the development of soil-borne diseases was studied from 1979 to 1985 in a crop rotation experiment on a marine clay soil. Tuber yield decreased markedly with increasing cropping frequency. The yield of cv. Hertha was reduced by 27% in continuous cropping and by 15% in a wheat/potato or sugar beet/potato rotation, when compared with the rotation wheat/sugar beet/oats/potato. However, a pot experiment showed that yield depression in continuous cropping depended on the cultivar used. Crop growth declined in the second part of the growing season, and senescence accelerated as the cropping frequency increased.Verticillium dahliae was the most important yield-reducing factor. Root infection by this fungus was stimulated by the root-lesion nematodePratylenchus neglectus.     

Effects of soil-borneRhizoctonia solani Kühn on yield and quality of ten potato cultivars

Summary The effects of soil-borneRhizoctonia solani on yield and quality of potato were studied by an extensive individual plant sampling procedure. From 1983 to 1986, stem canker and stolon pruning were examined in 10 768 plants growing on a sandy soil. Tuber yield and quality and haulm yield per plant were also recorded. The degree of attack byR. solani depended on the cropping frequency of potato. Severe and very severe stem and stolon attacks decreased fresh yield, dry matter yield and dry matter content of tubers and increased the number of deformed and small tubers, whereas the effect on haulm yield and stem number was small. Potato cultivars differed in susceptibility toR. solani, but yield response did not differ significantly between cultivars at the same levels of stem and stolon infection.     

Effects of crop rotation and granular nematicides on the incidence ofVerticillium dahliae Kleb. andColletotrichum coccodes (Wallr.) Hughes,in potato

Summary The incidence ofVerticillium dahliae andColletotrichum coccodes was studied in a crop rotation experiment on sandy soil from 1983 to 1986. Early in the growing season the percentage of stems infected byV. dahliae increased with increasing cropping frequency of potato, depending on the cropping sequence, and decreased with the application of granular nematicides. However, later in the growing season the initial differences decreased.C. coccodes infections of stems were not affected by these factors. The percentage of plants infected byV. dahliae closely correlated with the percentage of plants with wilt symptoms but this relationship was absent forC. coccodes. Early in the growing season, the more vigorous the plants, the greater the level ofV. dahliae infection. Soil infestation withV. dahliae increased with increasing cropping frequency of potato but was not affected by annual applications of granular nematicides.     

The effect of netted scab (Streptomyces spp.) andVerticillium dahliae on growth and yield of potato

Summary The effect ofStreptomyces spp. (netted scab) on the growth of potato was investigated in three pot experiments, in two of which the effect ofVerticillium dahliae was also assessed. The netted scab organisms attacked all underground plant parts of susceptible potato cultivars early in the growing season; the roots were especially seriously attacked, markedly reducing tuber yield and number but prolonging the duration of the growing season. The nematicide oxamyl had little effect on the incidence of netted scab. Repeated growing of the susceptible cv. Bintje greatly increased soil contamination with the netted scab pathogens. V. dahliae reduced haulm growth before wilt symptoms were evident and it reduced tuber yield but not number. Oxamyl delayed infection byV. dahliae by controlling parasiticPratylenchus nematodes (mainlyP. thornei).     

Synergistic interactions betweenRhizoctonia solani Kühn,Verticillium dahliae Kleb.,Meloidogyne spp. andPratylenchus neglectus (Rensch) Chitwood & Oteifa,in potato

Summary Samples of a sandy soil and a marine clay soil sterilized by steam were put in 55-1 containers insulated with polystyrene and placed outdoors on a brick pavement. Sandy soil was infested singly or in all possible combinations with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and the fungiRhizoctonia solani andVerticillium dahliae, and the marine clay soil was infested with the root-lesion nematodePratylenchus neglectus and the same fungi to evaluate the effects of these organisms on the yield of potato. The experiments were carried out from 1983 to 1986. Tuber yield was reduced by single infestations of theMeloidogyne spp. andV. dahliae but not significantly byR. solani orP. neglectus. A three-factor interaction: nematode ×R. solani × V. dahliae was found in both experiments.R. solani andV. dahliae showed significant synergistic effects when soil was infested with theMeloidogyne spp. orP. neglectus.     

休闲与轮作对燕麦孢囊线虫种群动态的影响

为明确休闲与轮作对燕麦孢囊线虫病害的防治效果,通过盆栽模拟和田间试验相结合的方法,分析了土壤休闲、轮作和连作对燕麦孢囊线虫种群动态的影响。结果表明,燕麦孢囊线虫的孵化不受寄主或寄主种类的影响;不同处理土壤中二龄幼虫数量以及孢囊内的虫口密度变化趋势一致,河北地区燕麦孢囊线虫孵化高峰期主要在3-4月份。休闲一年后燕麦孢囊线虫的减退率为89.8%。小麦与茄子、甜瓜和冬瓜轮作一年后线虫减退率分别为93.8%、90.7%和90.7%,轮作二年后线虫减退率为98.8%。在自然病田,小麦连作一年后虫口密度上升36.8%,连作两年后虫口密度上升49.2%。说明小麦连作后燕麦孢囊线虫的发生呈上升趋势,休闲或轮作一年以上可有效地降低土壤中燕麦孢囊线虫的虫口密度。     

The use of single,spaced potato plants to assess their tolerance of damage by potato cyst nematodes

Summary Potato clones and cultivars differ in their ability to tolerate damage by the potato cyst nematodes:G. rostochiensis andG. pallida. This paper reports a simplified field assessment whereby single, spaced plants are grown in heavily infested soils. These trials identified those clones which are either very sensitive to damage or those that grow and yield well in the presence of nematodes. The use of such a screening procedure in a breeding programme is discussed.     

The effect of soil pH on yield losses caused by the potato cyst nematodeGlobodera pallida

Summary The effect of soil pH on yield losses due to potato cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida) was investigated in experiments in the field and in a semi-controlled environment. Through annually liming a reclaimed peat soil with about 22% organic matter, plots with pH levels of 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5 were obtained. In 1990 potato yields in these plots decreased from 45 t/ha at pH 4.5 to 33 t/ha at pH 6.5, whereas the nematode densitites decreased from about 18 to 9 juveniles per g soil. In a container experiment a strong interaction was recorded between soil pH and the presence of nematodes. Tuber yields were about 11% lower at pH 6.5 than at pH 4.5 in the absence of nematodes, but about 44% lower when an initial population of 27 juveniles per g soil was present.     

Effects of soil characteristics on the relationship between potato cyst nematodes and yield. I. Water retention

Summary Data from five long-term field experiments on sandy and sandy peat soils were analyzed for the effect of soil type on damage caused by potato cyst nematodes to potato crops. It was shown that the water retention of the topsoil and the subsoil largely determined the potential yield level in the different fields. According to Oostenbrink's equation the slopes of the curves are steeper with increasing yield level, indicating that the higher the potential yield level, the higher the absolute yield loss. However, when yield was expressed as percentage of maximum yield, yield reduction related to potato cyst nematode density did not differ significantly, except when tolerant cultivars were grown. Increasing tolerance of cultivars to nematode damage was reflected in less steep slopes of the yield/nematode density curves.     

Potato growing in short rotations and the effect ofStreptomyces spp.,Colletotrichum coccodes,Fusarium tabacinum andVerticillium dahliae on plant growth and tuber yield

Summary The yield of potatoes decreased as the frequency of growing this crop in a rotation increased, even in the absence of well-known soil pathogens e.g.Globodera spp. Soil disinfection with methylbromide or pasteurization at 60°C with steam for 30 min eliminated the rotation effect on yield, suggesting that it was caused by a complex of microbial pathogens. Organisms thought to belong to the complex wereC. coccodes, F. tabacinum, V. dahliae andStreptomyces isolates causing russet (netted) scab. Their effects on growth and yield were studied in non-sterilized soil that had never carried a potato crop before.V. dahliae decreases the yield of susceptible potato cultivars,C. coccodes may cause damage only late in the growing season in weakened plants. In the highly susceptible cv. Amethyst yield loss byV. dahliae was almost doubled in the presence ofC. coccodes. F. tabacinum did not influence growth and tuber yield neither singly nor in combination with other pathogens. TheStreptomyces isolates cause extensive root damage and yield loss in susceptible potato cultivars.

---

Zusammenfassung Kartoffelpflanzen aus einem Boden mit Kartoffeln in der Fruchtfolge (Frequenz 1:3) zeigten, verglichen mit der Ertragsleistung von Kartoffeln aus einem Boden ohne bisherigen Kartoffelanbau, einen auff?lligen Ertragsverlust an Gesamttrockensubstanz (Abb. 1 und 2). Auch die N?hrstoffaufnahme war hier signifikant verringert (Abb. 3 und 4). Ertragsleistung und N?hrstoffaufnahme liessen sich jedoch durch Desinfektion des Bodens mit Methylbromid und durch Dampfsterilisation oder durch Pasteurisierung verbessern (Abb. 1, 2, 3 und 4). Inokulationen des Bodens ohne bisherigen Kartoffelanbau mitFusarium tabacinum oderColletotrichum coccodes beeinflussten den Knollenertrag nicht (Tab. 2), w?hrend Inokulationen mit Schorferregern (Streptomyces spp.) 14% weniger Knollenertrag verursachten, die Anzahl der Knollen verminderten (Tab. 2) und das Pflanzenwachstum sowie die Abreife der Pflanzen (sorte Bintje) beeinflussten (Tab. 4 und 5). Obgleich sichF. tabacinum bei enger Fruchtfolge an den Wurzeln der Kartoffelpflanzen manifestiert, kann es hier nicht als Pathogen betrachtet werden. Inokulationen mitC. coccodes, Verticilium dahliae undStreptomyces (Netzschorfisolate) in die für diese Pathogene unterschiedlich anf?lligen Sorten Bintje, Amethyst und Mirka ergaben einen Ertragsverlust bei den fürStreptomyces oderV. dahliae empfindlichen Sorten; ausserdem wurde ein durchC. coccodes verursachter synergistischer Effekt an den vonV. dahliae hervorgerufenen Sch?den in der Sorte Amethyst beobachtet (Tab. 5). In der Sorte Bintje wurde die Knollenzahl nur dann verringert, wennStreptomyces dabei beteiligt war (Tab. 6). Netzschorf kann als Fruchtfolgekrankheit betrachtet werden (Tab. 7).

---

Résumé Le rendement en matière sèche totale est considérablement réduit lorsque l'on compare la productivité d'une culture de pomme de terre dans une rotation de 3 ans à celle d'un sol non cultivé en pommes de terre au préalable (fig. 1 et 2). De même l'absorption des éléments nutritifs est réduite de fa?on significative dans les sols à pommes de terre (fig. 3 et 4). La productivité et l'absorption peuvent être retrouvées par la désinfection du sol au bromure de méthyle, la stérilisation à la vapeur ou la pasteurisation (fig. 1, 2, 3 et 4). L'inoculation avecFusarium tabacinum ouColletotrichum coccodes dans un sol n'ayant pas re?u de pommes de terre, n'a aucune influence sur le rendement en tubercules (tabl. 1) alors que l'inoculation avec la gale commune russet scab provoqué parStreptomyces spp. provoque une perte de rendement en tubercules de 14%, une diminution du nombre de tubercules et modifie le développement et la maturité des plantes (tabl. 3 et 4) avec la variété Bintje.F. tabacinum, quioque présent sur les racines de pommes de terre dans les rotations courtes, ne peut être considéré comme un pathogène de cette culture. L'inoculation avecC. coccodes, Verticillium dahliae etStreptomyces (isolats de gale commune provoquant le russet scab) des variétés Bintje, Amethyst et Mirka, de sensibilité différente pour ces pathogènes, se traduit par une diminution de rendement pour les variétés sensibles àStreptomyces ouV. dahliae et par un effet de synergie deC. coccodes pour les dommages causés parV. dahliae sur la variété Amethyst (tabl. 5). Le nombre de tubercules de la variété Bintje n'est diminué qu'en présence deStreptomyces (tabl. 6). La gale commune (russet scab) peut être considérée comme une maladie de rotation (tabl. 7).

     

Incidence, appearance and development of potato mop-top furovirus-induced spraing in potato cultivars and the influence on yield, distribution in Denmark and detection of the virus in tubers by ELISA

Summary 23 potato cultivars were grown in fields infested with potato mop-top virus and spraing was assessed on tubers at harvest and after storage. Large differences in spraing susceptibility were found between cultivars. Compared with other countries, spraing in Denmark is characterised by a high incidence at harvest, a low increase during storage and a very low proportion of superficial spraing. Decrease in spraing during storage was recorded in two cultivars. DASELISA tests for PMTV in tubers revealted a high reliability. Mapping of PMTV in important Danish potato growing areas showed that the virus is widespread. Occurrence of spraing did not influence total yield or dry matter content. Soil acidity did not influence incidence of spraing but it was more common on coarse-grained soil than on finer sandy soils. PMTV in viruliferous resting spores ofSpongospora subterranea was inactivated by heating to 90°C for 15 minutes.     

The effect of crop rotation and granular nematicides on the incidence ofRhizoctonia solani in potato

Summary The incidence ofRhizoctonia solani in potato was studied in two crop rotation experiments from 1981 to 1985 inclusive. The greater the frequency of potato cropping, the more severe the attack on stems and stolons byR. solani. Severity of black scurf on progeny tubers and cropping frequency were also correlated, but less significantly. In fields with antagonists toR. solani, continuous potato cropping caused less black scurf on tubers than did 1∶2 rotations. Application of the nematicides oxamyl, ethoprofos and aldicarb resulted in a marked increase inR. solani infection of stems and stolons.

---

Zusammenfassung In zwei Fruchtfolgeexperimenten wurde von 1979 bis 1985 das Vorkommen vonRhizoctonia solani an Kartoffeln untersucht. In Experiment 1 wurde auf sandigem Boden ein kontinuierlicher Kartoffelanbau (P) mit folgenden Fruchtfolgen verglichen: Mais-Kartoffeln (MP), Zuckerrübe-Kartoffeln (SP) und Mais-Zuckerrübe-Gerste-Gerste-Kartoffeln. (MSBBP). In Experiment 2 wurde auf Lehmboden ein kontinuierlicher Kartoffelanbau (P) mit den Fruchtfolgen Weizen-Kartoffeln (WP), Zuckerrübe-Kartoffeln (SP) und Weizen-Zuckerrübe-Hafer-Kartoffeln (WSOP) verglichen. In beiden Versuchen steigerte sich der Stengel- und Stolonenbefall mit zunehmender H?ufigkeit des Kartoffelanbaus (Tabellen 1 und 2). Es ergaben sich jedoch keine deutlichen Unterschiede imRhizoctonia-Befall der Tochterknollen bei einem Vergleich von kontinuierlichem Anbau und dem 1∶2 Fruchtfolgen mit Kartoffeln, w?hrendRhizoctonia weniger h?ufig in den Fruchtfolgen MSBBP und WSOP vorkam (Tabellen 3 und 4). Der HyperparasitVerticillium biguttatum kam im Experiment 1 (Abb. 1) besonders in den kurzen Fruchtfolgen P, MP und SP (Tabelle 5) vor, er konnte jedoch nicht den Stengel- und Stolonenbefall mitR. solani verhindern. Bodendesinfektion mit granulierten Nematiziden (Oxamyl, Ethoprofos und Aldicarb) erh?hte den Stengel- und Stolonenbefall mitR. solani betr?chtlich (Tabellen 1 und 2), diese Chemikalien hatten aber eine nur begrenzte Wirkung aufRhizoctonia an Tochterknollen (Tabellen 3 und 4). Der Mechanismus, der die positive Wirkung der Nematizide aufR. solani verursacht, ist nicht bekannt und erfordert eine detailiertere Untersuchung.

---

Résumé La fréquence deRhizoctonia solani sur pomme de terre a été étudiée dans deux essais de rotations culturales de 1979 à 1985. Dans le premier essai, conduit en sol sableux, la culture continue de pomme de terre (P) a été comparée aux rotations suivantes: ma?s — pomme de terre (MP); betterave sucrière — pomme de terre (SP); et ma?s — betterave sucrière — orge — orge — pomme de terre (MSBBP). Dans le second essai implanté en sol argileux, la culture continue de pomme de terre (P) a été comparée aux rotations: blé — pomme de terre (WP); betterave sucrière — pomme de terre (SP); et blé — betterave sucrière — avoine — pomme de terre (WSOP). Dans les deux essais, le niveau des attaques sur tiges et sur stolons croit avec la fréquence de la culture de pomme de terre (tableaux 1 et 2). Toutefois, il n'y a pas de différence évidente sur l'état sanitaire de la descendance (sclérotes sur tubercules fils) entre la culture continue et la rotation alternée; cependant, il se forme moins de sclérotes sur les tubercules dans les rotations MSBBP et WSOP (tableaux 3 et 4). L'hyperparasite,Verticillium biguttatum, s'est manifesté dans l'essai 1 (fig. 1), principalement dans les rotations courtes P, MP et SP (tableau 5) mais pas de fa?on suffisante pour empêcher les attaques deR. solani sur tiges et stolons. Le traitement du sol à l'aide de nématicides granulés (oxamyl, ethoprofos et aldicarb), augmente fortement les attaques deR. solani sur tiges et stolons (tableaux 1 et 2), mais ces traitements chimiques n'ont qu'une influence minime sur l'état sanitaire de la descendance (tableaux 3 et 4). Le mécanisme qui conduit à la stimulation deR. solani par ces nématicides n'est pas clairement expliqué et nécessite des recherches détaillées supplémentaires.

     

Relationship between potato cyst nematodes and their principal host. II. Evaluation of mathematical descriptors relating potato yield and nematode density

Summary  To describe the relationship between nematode density and yield, four equations of increasing complexity are found in the literature. They concern a linear regression curve, a log linear regression curve, a regression curve based on an exponential relation and an inverse linear regression curve. The yield to PCN density responses of these equations are shown on a linear and on a logarithmic scale. Considerable differences are shown in the way they respond to the same data. None of these equations is able to explain or forecast yield decrease caused by potato cyst nematodes.     

Light induced bio-control of potato storage pathogens in vitro

Summary The influence of freeze dried potato powder derived from tubers (cvs Désirée and Epicure) exposed to light as a culture medium on the growth, number and spore size of nine fungal pathogens was determined in vitro with particular emphasis on the role of glycoalkaloids. Greater reductions in pathogen growth reflected increased exposure to light of tubers prior to freeze drying. High correlations (% R² adj) were obtained between glycoalkaloid concentration and growth rate of the majority of pathogens tested. Where spores were produced, numbers were in general significantly less when cultured on freeze dried powder derived from tubers exposed to light. No effects on spore size ofFusarium species were recorded, but spore length of remaining pathogens was reduced and spore width increased, with the exception ofC. coccodes where spore length and width was increased following culture onto freeze dried powder derived from tubers exposed to light.     

Management Effects of Disease-Suppressive Rotation Crops on Potato Yield and Soilborne Disease and Their Economic Implications in Potato Production

Soilborne potato diseases are persistent problems in potato production. Use of disease-suppressive rotation crops, such as Brassica spp. (mustards, rapeseed) and sudangrass, has shown potential for management of soilborne diseases and enhanced yield in various crop production systems. However, how to best implement these crops into productive potato cropping systems has not yet been determined. In this research, potential disease-suppressive crops were evaluated under four different types of production management (as a cover crop, green manure, harvested crop-residue incorporated, and harvested crop-residue not incorporated) in potato rotation field trials, and their effects on disease, yield, and economic viability determined. Mustard blend, sudangrass, and rapeseed rotations reduced the tuber disease black scurf (by 16–27 %) and increased yield (by 6–11 %) relative to a barley rotation control, but only mustard blend consistently reduced common scab (by 11 %). All rotation crops managed as green manures produced lower disease (by 15–26 %) and higher yields (by 6–13 %) than other management practices. Overall, the combination of mustard blend managed as a green manure was most effective, reducing scurf by 54 % and increasing yield by 25 % relative to a soybean cover crop. The use of mustard or rapeseed as a harvested crop with incorporation provided the best economic return, increasing net income by more than $860/ha relative to the standard barley rotation, but mustard blend grown as a green manure or non-incorporated harvest crop also substantially increased net income ($600 to $780/ha).     

Relationship between potato cyst nematodes and their principal host. IV. Tolerance of potato cultivars and the effect of potato cyst nematode on initial plant growth

Summary Greenhouse experiments on the effects of white potato cyst nematode infestations (Globodera pallida Stone) on initial growth and development of a series of potato cultivars are compared with the results of field experiments on sandy and sandy-peat soils on the effect of nematode density on tuber yield. A simple greenhouse test, assessing root growth response to potato cyst nematode infection, provided a good insight into a cultivar's tolerance performance in the field early in the growing season. As a very limited number of plants is needed for the greenhouse test, screening for tolerance can be conducted in the early stages of a breeding programme.     

Host-parasite dynamics of Sorghum bicolor and Striga hermonthica – The influence of soil organic matter amendments of different C:N ratio

The effect of organic amendments on the interactions between Striga hermonthica and a sorghum host was studied in a field experiment during three cropping seasons, following a three-factorial design with (i) bare fallow versus continuous cropping, (ii) two Strigahermonthica infection levels and (iii) five organic matter levels, a single inorganic fertiliser treatment of 120 kg N ha⁻¹ and a control. The effects of two different cotton by-products and their mixtures on sorghum yield were well described by their N-mineralisation pattern. The impact of organic amendments in the sorghum production system was directly related to N-mineralisation in the three cropping seasons. There was an increasing negative effect of organic matter on S. hermonthica as the quality of the applied material increased. The emerged numbers of S. hermonthica were well described by N-release after one month, while S. hermonthica biomass and sorghum biomass were well described by N-release after three months. As a stand-alone measure, addition of low-quality organic matter is disadvantageous in cropping systems with high S. hermonthica seed densities, as it does not improve sorghum performance compared to no addition of organic matter, while S. hermonthica numbers increase. Implications for integrated soil fertility and S. hermonthica management under different infection levels of S. hermonthica are discussed.     

Cultivar Effects on the Interaction between Free-Living Plant-Parasitic Nematodes and the Fungal Pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis> in Potato

Crop damage is associated with infection by plant pathogens but can also arise through abiotic factors. However, the plant pathogens are involved in biotic interactions with other plant pathogens, and these interactions may differ depending of the cultivar of the crop. Here, the interaction between the fungus Rhizoctonia solani (AG3) and free-living plant-parasitic nematodes was investigated in a pot experiment with different potato cultivars. No synergistic interaction between R. solani and plant-parasitic nematodes was found, instead there was an effect of treatment with lower tuber yield when nematodes occurred alone. There were differences among the cultivars regarding incidence of black scurf, dry weight of stems and tubers, and there was interactive effects between treatment and cultivar regarding dry weight of stolons and roots. Therefore, results concerning incidence and damage of R. solani and/or plant-parasitic nematodes found for one cultivar may not be applicable to other cultivars.     

Detecting resistance to the root-knot nematodesMeloidogyne hapla andM. chitwoodi in potato and wildSolanum spp.

Summary Various methods of screening for resistance to root-knot nematodes were compared and evaluated. Seedling populations ofSolanum spp., grown in clay pots and plastic tubes with silver sand and inoculated with juveniles ofMeloidogyne chitwoodi andM. hapla, showed large differences in the number of egg masses on roots 7 weeks after inoculation. The differences were reproducible when re-testing was done with cuttings and plants from tubers. No resistance toMeloidogyne spp. was observed with ten potato cultivars when grown in clay pots, plastic tobes or closed containers. Plants from tubers in growth pouches developed a large two-dimensional root system, and after inoculation with juveniles the infection process could be observed over 8 weeks. A method of infecting potato tuber tissue withMeloidogyne is described, using tuber slices in Petri dishes as a potential screening test for tuber resistance.