Crop Rotation with Brassicas Reduces Phytophthora Populations in Potato soil
Cheah. L. -H Marsh. A. T Hedderley. D. I Falloon. R. E
New Zealand Plant Protection ; 2008 [Vol.61] Pages:256-260
Abstract
A long-term trial (5 years) is being conducted at a commercial property on land that has a history of high incidence and severity of soil-borne diseases. Five rotational crops (potato, pasture, brassica, cereal and squash) are being tested for their effects on pathogen inoculum. Soil applications of metalaxyl fungicide are used as a standard treatment for comparison. Soil samples are taken before and after each crop rotation cycle and plated on agar media for microbial enumeration, to study the changes in fungal pathogen populations. After three growing seasons, rotational treatment of potato and cereal + BQ Mulch (Brassica crop) reduced the level of Phytophthora and other (unidentified) fungi compared with the same rotation without BQ Mulch. Metalaxyl has had no effect on the soil levels of Phytophthora and Pythium spp.
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