THE EFFECT OF CROP DEBRIS ON THE PATHOGENICITY OF CEREAL ROOT-ROTTING FUNGI

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effect of wheat, oat, and barley straw, composted with soil, on the development of disease on the basal parts of wheat seedlings was studied in a series of greenhouse experiments during three seasons. The pathogens used were Ophiobolus graminis Sacc., Helminthosporium sativum P. K. and B., and Fusarium culmorum (W. G. Sm.) Sacc. The wheat-straw composts were distinctly more favourable to the development of disease than the composts of either oat or barley straw. The least injury occurred on seedlings grown in composts of oat straw. It is suggested that the micro-organisms associated with the decomposition of oat straw bring about some degree of biological control of the plant pathogens also present.Although the amount of straw applied sometimes influenced severity of disease, the effects were not consistent from planting to planting. Apparently the actual carbon to nitrogen ratio had less effect upon disease development than did the chemical nature of the straw.The kind and amount of straw in the composts also influenced seedling vigour. This vigour was, in general, inversely proportional to the degree of infection.The introduction of a short fallow period between plantings decreased infection somewhat and increased vigour.The pathogenicity of the artificial inoculum added at the first planting was practically vitiated before the second planting. Subsequently, the infection ratings tended to increase and were about the same as those in the uninoculated series.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: