ISHS Acta Horticulturae 883: VII International Symposium on Chemical and Non-Chemical Soil and Substrate Disinfestation
APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS FOLLOWED BY PLASTIC MULCHING FOR THE CONTROL OF PHYTOPHTHORA ROOT ROT OF PEPPER IN NORTHERN SPAIN |
| Authors: | M. Núñez-Zofío, C. Garbisu, S. Larregla |
| Keywords: | manure, Brassica, inoculum survival, disease incidence, pepper yield |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.883.44 |
| Abstract:
The application of organic amendments followed by soil plastic mulching is considered an environmentally-friendly approach for the control of soilborne plant pathogens. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach in the Basque Country (northern Spain), an area characterized by humid temperate climate, during a period of the year, compatible with protected pepper culture, in which climatic conditions have a low soil heating effect. To this aim, a greenhouse experiment was carried out to compare the effects of plastic mulching, alone and in combination with three different organic amendments, on Phytophthora root rot of pepper caused by Phytophthora capsici. Organic soil amendments, i.e. a mixture of fresh sheep manure and chicken litter (2.33:1, DW:DW), a semicomposted mixture of horse and chicken manure (1:1, FV:FV) and Brassica carinata commercial pellets, were incorporated into artificially infested soil and covered with plastic film for 40 days. After this time, pepper plants (Capsicum annuum ‘Derio’) were planted and inoculum survival evaluated. During crop development, disease incidence was periodically controlled as well as plant production and vigour (plant height). Although soil temperature in plastic mulched soil at 15 cm depth was not high enough for thermal inactivation of the inoculum (832 h at 12.5-25°C, 134 h at 25-30°C and 10 h at 30-32.5°C), the application of a mixture of fresh sheep manure and chicken litter followed by plastic mulching did manage to negatively affect P. capsici inoculum survival. Nonetheless, disease incidence was significantly reduced by 80-90% with both animal amendments, possibly through increasing soil suppressiveness. The application of animal amendments increased plant growth and resulted in more productive plants, compared to untreated controls. Our results suggest that some organic amendments followed by plastic mulching may reduce the incidence of Phytophthora root rot in the Basque Country. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of this approach on soil functioning. | |
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