Emergence of cabbage seedlots in field soils with different cropping histories

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Abstract
SUMMARY: In three non‐sterilised soils with different long‐term cropping histories of continuous mixed vegetables, continuous brassicas and continuous grassland, emergence of cabbage seedlots was lower than values obtained in laboratory germination tests. The greatest reductions occurred in soil (mixed vegetables) infested with Pythium ultimum. The presence of Pythium irregulare in the continuous brassicas soil had less effect on emergence, but the ranking for emergence of four of the seedlots was identical in the two soils. When the soils were sterilised and re‐inoculated with their respective Pythium isolate emergence was less than that in non‐sterilised soil but the rankings were similar. The pre‐emergence, and post‐emergence losses which occurred in these two soils, were controlled by seed treatment with 1 g metalaxyl/kg seed. In the continuous grassland soil although Pythium irregulare was present, emergence from most of the seedlots was high.