Measuring root disease suppression in response to a compost water extract

Gilberto Curlango-Rivera, Tom Pew, Hans D. Van Etten, Xiong Zhongguo, Naitong Yu, Martha C. Hawes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Commercial application of compost to prevent plant disease is hindered by variable performance. Here, we describe the use of a growth pouch assay to measure impact of a compost water extract (CWE) on root infection under controlled conditions. Most pea roots (≥95%) inoculated with Fusarium solani or Phoma pinodella spores rapidly develop a single local lesion in the region of elongation. In the presence of CWE, infection of pea roots grown in pouches was reduced by 93 to 100%. CWE used as a drench on pea seedlings grown in sand also resulted in 100% protection but, in a heavy clay soil, infection was reduced by <50%. CWE filtered to remove microorganisms did not inhibit frequency of F. solani infection, and resulted in increased local lesion development on individual roots. CWE inhibited mycelial growth of both pea- and cucumber-infecting isolates of F. solani in culture but exerted <40% protection against cucumber root infection. CWE treatment of pea but not cucumber was associated with retention of a sheath of border cells interspersed with bacteria covering the region of elongation. Growth pouch assays may provide a system to monitor effects of specific compost mixtures on root- rhizosphere interactions, and to identify variables influencing disease control.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)255-260
Number of pages6
JournalPhytopathology
Volume103
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Plant Science

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