Reduction inFusariumPopulations in Soil by Oilseed Meal Amendments

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Abstract
Natural loamy sand, artificially infested with F. oxysporum and F. solani, was amended with 10 kinds of plant or animal residues, each at 1% (wt/wt) and incubated in closed plastic containers. Linseed, cottonseed and soybean meals reduced Fusarium chlamydospore populations from .apprx. 105/g of soil to 102 or fewer per gram in 4-5 wk. Crab shell reduced populations to 104/g, but 6 other amendments were ineffective. The oilseed meals were effective at concentrations at least as low as 0.25% (wt/wt). Soybean meal reduced Fusarium populations about equally in soil held at 15, 30, 50 or 100% of water-holding capacity (WHC) (approximately equivalent to -3.0, -0.2, -0.03 and 0 bars water potential, respectively). Linseed and cottonseed meals were most effective at 100% of WHC. Once reduced, Fusarium populations remained low for at least 4 wk. Total numbers of fungi, actinomycetes and bacteria were not reduced as greatly by the oilseed meal amendments as were the fusaria. Severity of pea root rot in soil amended with oilseed meal was proportional to the surviving population of F. solani f. sp. pisi. Soil treated with linseed or cottonseed meal was phytotoxic to pea and soybean, whereas soil treated with soybean meal was not. The oilseed meals also reduced Fusarium populations in Capac loam, but not in Brookston loam. The rate of reduction in Capac loam was slower than that in loamy sand.

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