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Rapeseed rotation, compost and biocontrol amendments reduce soilborne diseases and increase tuber yield in organic and conventional potato production systems

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Abstract

Aims

Integrating multiple soil and disease management practices may improve crop productivity and disease control, but potential interactions and limitations need to be determined.

Methods

Three different potential disease-suppressive management practices, including a Brassica napus (rapeseed) green manure rotation crop, conifer-based compost amendment, and three biological control organisms (Trichoderma virens, Bacillus subtilis, and Rhizoctonia solani hypovirulent isolate Rhs1A1) were evaluated alone and in combination at sites with both organic and conventional management histories for their effects on soilborne diseases and tuber yield.

Results

Rapeseed rotation reduced all observed soilborne diseases (stem canker, black scurf, common scab, and silver scurf) by 10 to 52 % in at least one year at both sites. Compost amendment had variable effects on tuber diseases, but consistently increased yield (by 9 to 15 %) at both sites. Biocontrol effects on disease varied, though Rhs1A1 decreased black scurf at the conventional site and T. virens reduced multiple diseases at the organic site in at least one year. Combining rapeseed rotation with compost amendment both reduced disease and increased yield, whereas biocontrol additions produced only marginal additive effects.

Conclusions

Use of these treatments alone, and in combination, can be effective at reducing disease and increasing yield under both conventional and organic production practices.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Leanne Matthiesen, Gary Sewell, Roger Jardine, Jim Gerritsen, Randy Smith, Ethel Champaco, Megan Patterson, Renee Rioux, Kristopher Cooper, Jen Brown, Sara Caldwell, Stephanie Cash, Caleb Gerritsen, Peter Gerritsen, Ryan Guillemette, Katie Moulton, Kylie Palmer, Katie Priest, Benjamin Richard, and Valerie Shaffer for technical assistance. This research was supported in part by the USDA Organic Transition Grant 2007-51106-03791, the Northeast IPM Grant 2007-34103-17076 and Hatch Grant. This is Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station Publication No. 3344.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

    Edward Bernard, Stellos Tavantzis & Andrei Alyokhin

  2. USDA-ARS, New England Plant, Soil and Water Laboratory, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

    Robert P. Larkin

  3. Department of Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA

    M. Susan Erich

  4. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Serena D. Gross

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  1. Edward Bernard
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  2. Robert P. Larkin
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  3. Stellos Tavantzis
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Correspondence to Robert P. Larkin.

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Bernard, E., Larkin, R.P., Tavantzis, S. et al. Rapeseed rotation, compost and biocontrol amendments reduce soilborne diseases and increase tuber yield in organic and conventional potato production systems. Plant Soil 374, 611–627 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1909-4

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