The soil environment and the suppression of saprophytic growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effect of the soil environment on the transferable suppression of the saprophytic growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (pathogen suppression) was studied in a field soil acidified to pH 4.3 by annual treatment with ammonium sulphate for 9 years and in the same soil further amended with a single application of lime (pH 5.4). Pathogen suppression and the activity of Trichoderma spp. were greater when (i) the unlimed (pathogen-suppressive) soil was added at a rate of 1% (w/w) to the same soil treated with γ-radiation than when added at the same rate to the irradiated limed soil; (ii) the limed (pathogen-conducive) soil was added at 1% (w/w) to the irradiated unlimed soil than when added at the same rate to the irradiated limed soil. Pathogen suppression and the activity of Trichoderma spp. were increased in both soils with the addition of an antibacterial agent. The saprophytic growth of G. graminis var. tritici was reduced in the unsterile pathogen-suppressive but not in the pathogen-conducive soil, following the addition of inoculum of T. koningii. It is proposed that both the abiotic and biotic environments of soil can influence the expression of transferable pathogen suppression which, in the soils tested, is related to the activity of Trichoderma spp.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: