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Soil type, management history, and soil amendments influence the development of soil-borne (Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium ultimum) and air-borne (Phytophthora infestans, Hyaloperonospora parasitica) diseases

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Abstract

The impact of soil type, long-term soil management, and short-term fertility input strategies on the suppressiveness of soils against soil-borne (Ocimum basilicum – Rhizoctonia solani, Lepidium sativum – Pythium ultimum) as well as air-borne (Lycopersicon esculentum – Phytophthora infestans, Arabidopsis thaliana – Hyaloperonospora parasitica) diseases was studied. Soils from field trials established in five European sites with contrasting pedo-climatic conditions were examined. Sites included (i) a long-term management field trial comparing organic and conventional farming systems (DOK-trial, Therwil, Switzerland) (ii) a short-term fertility input field trial comparing mineral and organic matter fertilisation regimes (Bonn (BON), Germany) (iii) two short-term fertility input field trials (Stockbridge (STC) and Tadcaster (TAD), UK) comparing the impact of farmyard manure, composted farmyard manure, and chicken manure pellet amendements and (iv) soil from a site used as a reference (Reckenholz (REC), Switzerland). Soil type affected disease suppressiveness of the four pathosystems signficantly, indicating that soils can not only affect the development of soil-borne, but also the resistance of plants to air-borne diseases at relevant levels. Suppressiveness to soil- and air-borne diseases was shown to be affected by soil type, but also by long-term management as well as short-term fertility inputs.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the European Community financial participation under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities, for the Integrated Project QUALITYLOWINPUTFOOD, FP6-FOOD-CT-2003-506358. We are grateful to Sabine Rattler, Bonn, and many students who helped us in soil sampling and preparation.

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Author notes

  1. Matias Laustela

    Present address: FriedliPartner AG, Baumackerstrasse 24, 8050, Zürich, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), 5070, Frick, Switzerland

    Lucius Tamm, Barbara Thürig, Jacques G. Fuchs, Matias Laustela, Nicole Mahlberg, Bruno Nietlispach, Felix Weber & Andreas Fließbach

  2. University of Kassel, 37213, Witzenhausen, Germany

    Christian Bruns

  3. Nafferton Ecological Farming Group (NEFG), University of Newcastle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE43 7XD, UK

    Carlo Leifert & Christoph Schmidt

  4. Institute of Organic Agriculture, University of Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Ulrich Köpke

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  1. Lucius Tamm
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Correspondence to Lucius Tamm.

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Lucius Tamm and Barbara Thürig contributed equally to the publication.

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Tamm, L., Thürig, B., Bruns, C. et al. Soil type, management history, and soil amendments influence the development of soil-borne (Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium ultimum) and air-borne (Phytophthora infestans, Hyaloperonospora parasitica) diseases. Eur J Plant Pathol 127, 465–481 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-010-9612-2

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