ISHS Acta Horticulturae 631: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Transplant Production and Stand Establishment Research
BIOFUNCTIONAL COMPOSTS AND BIOTIZATION |
| Authors: | S.M. Rafferty, J.G. Murphy, A.C. Cassells |
| Keywords: | arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, biological control, chitin, chitinases, pathogenesis-related proteins, soil-borne diseases, storage diseases |
| Abstract:
Soilborne pathogens are difficult to control and the most effective soil fumigant, methyl bromide, is being withdrawn from use. Here, a chitin-amended peat (Suppressor™) was investigated as a selective growth substrate in the evaluation of a biological control strategy for soil-borne pathogens. Results of the effects of Suppressor™ on Phytophthora fragariae (redcore) disease of Fragaria vesca and Fusarium disease of Dianthus in glasshouse trials are presented. In a further experiment, the interaction between redcore and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant was investigated. Protective effects were seen in all crop models; in Dianthus, twice as many plants survived Fusarium inoculation in Suppressor™ compared with the control substrate; and in strawberry trials, when both AMF and Suppressor™ were present for a 4 weeks after acclimatization the strawberries were resistant to disease. Suppressor™ enhanced lytic enzyme activity in the substrate and increased in planta defense proteins. Suppressor™ was also evaluated for suppression of Sclerotinia storage rot of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus). Artichoke tuber storage disease was reduced from 95% to 37% using a Suppressor ™ tuber dressing. | |
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