Effect of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation and Mustard Seed Meal for Control of Charcoal Rot in California Strawberries |
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Authors: | Joji Muramoto Carol Shennan Margherita Zavatta Graeme Baird Lucinda Toyama Mark Mazzola |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USAjoji@ucsc.edu;3. Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA;4. USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Wenatchee, Washington, USA |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTAnaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) and mustard seed meal (MSM) appear to be promising non-fumigant alternatives for soilborne pathogens control. However, studies of their effect on charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina in California strawberry are limited. A demonstration field trial with ASD with rice bran 20 t ha–1 (ASD-RB), MSM 4.5 t ha–1 (MSM), and ASD with rice bran 6.7 t ha–1 + MSM 4.5 t ha–1 (ASD-RB+MSM) treatments was conducted in a M. phaseolina-infested organic field in Oxnard, CA. A doubling of fruit yields relative to the grower standard, and a reduction in plant mortality by M. phaseolina, was achieved by ASD-RB. MSM failed to control M. phaseolina and resulted in fruit yields that were more than 20% below the ASD-RB yield. Fruit yield in the ASD-RB+MSM plot was intermediate between ASD-RB and MSM. Treatment effects on soil pH, EC, inorganic N dynamics, and soil microbial communities were also examined. |
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Keywords: | Macrophomina phaseolina non-fumigant alternatives soil microbial community soil N dynamics |
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