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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wenatchee, Washington » Physiology and Pathology of Tree Fruits Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314445
Title: Anaerobic soil disinfestation disease control performance in strawberry as influenced by environmental variables

Author
item HEWAVITHARANA, S. - Washington State University
item SHENNAN, C. - University Of California
item MURAMOTO, J. - University Of California
item Mazzola, Mark

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2015
Publication Date: 11/1/2015
Citation: Hewavitharana, S.S., Shennan, C., Muramoto, J., Mazzola, M. 2015. Anaerobic soil disinfestation disease control performance in strawberry as influenced by environmental variables. American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. 105:S4.59.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sustainability of the California strawberry industry is challenged by soil-borne diseases caused by Fusarium oxysporum (Fo), Macrophomina phaseolina (Mp) and Verticillium dahliae (Vd). Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) has been studied as a non-fumigant measure for control of these diseases. This study examined relationships between ASD temperature and duration, and ensuing levels of disease control and plant growth performance. Soils naturally infested with one of the three pathogens were subjected to ASD using rice bran under four temperature regimes of 3 or 6 week duration. Soils were planted with strawberry and grown in the greenhouse for 3-5 months. Wilt scores, cumulative yield, fresh total/shoot/root biomass (TB/SB/RB), and percent crown infection (PCI) were obtained at harvest. ASD reduced soil density and wilt score of Fo, Mp and Vd. Significantly higher cumulative yields were obtained in Fo and Vd soils in response to ASD, with duration of the ASD treatment affecting suppression of Vd. ASD treatment resulted in significantly higher TB in Fo infested soil. ASD significantly improved SB and RB in Mp and Vd infested soils. Incubation temperature only influenced SB in Vd soil. Efficacy of ASD, as assessed by PCI, was influenced by incubation temperature for Fo and Mp, and by duration for Mp and Vd. Knowledge of how these environmental variables alter ASD efficacy is required to optimize its implementation for control of soil-borne strawberry diseases.