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| Biological control of soil borne pathogens | |
Soilborne pathogens are difficult to control and the most effective soil fumigant, methyl bromide, is being withdrawn from use. The use of the chitin-amended peat (Suppressor™) as a selective growth substrate promises well as part of a biological control strategy for soil-borne pathogens in the future. Suppressor™ enhances lytic enzyme activity in the substrate and increases in planta defense proteins. In all experiments on crop models, protective effects of Suppressor™ were seen. In glasshouse trials, twice as many plants of Dianthus survived Fusarium inoculation compared with the control substrate. In strawberry trials, when both Suppressor™ and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant were present, four weeks after acclimatization the strawberries were resistant to the fungal pathogen Phytophthora fragariae (redcore). The incidence of artichoke (Helianthus tubersosa) tuber storage disease (Sclerotinia) was reduced from 95% to 37% using a Suppressor ™ tuber dressing. S.M. Rafferty, J.G. Murphy, A.C. Cassells, ‘Biofunctional Composts and biotization’ , ISHS Acta Horticulturae 644: International Symposium on Growing Media and Hydroponics www.actahort.org |
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