Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation Reduces Germination and Affects Colonization of Sclerotium rolfsii Sclerotia

Phytopathology. 2018 Mar;108(3):342-351. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-04-17-0152-R. Epub 2018 Jan 16.

Abstract

Growth chamber and field studies were conducted with organic amendment mixtures of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at C:N ratios 10:1, 20:1, 30:1, and 40:1 and amendment rates of C at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/g of soil (C:N ratio 30:1) to evaluate anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) effects on germination and colonization of Sclerotium rolfsii. In the growth chamber, sclerotial germination was reduced in all ASD treatments regardless of C:N ratio (0.6 to 8.5% germination) or amendment rate (7.5 to 46%) as compared with nonamended controls (21 to 36% and 61 to 96%, respectively). ASD treatment increased Trichoderma spp. colonization of sclerotia, with consistently higher colonization in ASD treatments with amendment rates of C at 2 or 4 mg/g of soil (>87% colonization) compared with nonamended controls (<50% colonization). In the 2014 field study, sclerotial germination was reduced by 24 to 30% in ASD treatments when compared with the nonamended control. Sclerotial colonization by Trichoderma spp. was predominant; however, other potential mycoparasites (i.e., Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., zygomycetes, and other fungi) were present in the field study. Amendment C:N ratios in the range of 10:1 to 40:1 were equally effective in reducing sclerotial germination and enhancing colonization by potentially beneficial mycoparasites of sclerotia.

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Ascomycota / growth & development
  • Basidiomycota / growth & development
  • Disinfection*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Soil / chemistry
  • Soil Microbiology*
  • Temperature
  • Trichoderma*
  • Water

Substances

  • Soil
  • Water