| Abstract: | Light-coloured Sphagnum fuscum peat is the substrate most widely used in glasshouses in Finland. A number of Streptomyces strains which are strongly antagonistic against a number of soil and seed-borne fungal pathogens, both in vitro and in vivo, have been isolated from light-coloured peat. Seed dusting with Streptomyces prevented or reduced damping-off and foot-rot disease caused by Alternaria brassicicola and Rhizoctonia solani on crucifers. Seed treatment slightly increased yields of cereals in fields experiments. Spraying the substrate with a suspension of Streptomyces reduced root diseases on cucumbers caused by Pythium, and in many cases successfully prevented fusarium wilt of carnations. A dry powder preparation has been made from the Streptomyces isolates, and applied at a dose of 5-10 g kg-1 in seed dusting, and 0.1-10 g 100 m-2 when spraying the substrate. The microbe was most effective in peat soil, although good results have also been obtained in fine sand and clay soils. |
