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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #371077

Title: Organic amendments for pathogen and nematode control

Author
item Rosskopf, Erin
item DI GIOIA, FRANCESCO - PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Hong, Jason
item Pisani, Cristina
item BURELLE, NANCY

Submitted to: Annual Review of Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2020
Publication Date: 8/1/2020
Citation: Rosskopf, E.N., Di Gioia, F., Hong, J.C., Pisani, C., Burelle, N.K. 2020. Organic amendments for pathogen and nematode control. Annual Review of Phytopathology. (58):277-311. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-080516-035608.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-080516-035608

Interpretive Summary: The loss of methyl bromide as a broad-spectrum soil fumigant and minimal advances in the development and registration of new chemical fumigants has resulted in a resurgence of interest in the application of organic amendments for soilborne plant pathogen, plant parasitic nematode, and weed management. Significant progress has been made in the characterization of organic amendments, application strategies for their use, and elucidation of the mechanisms by which they suppress soilborne pests. Nonetheless, their utility is limited by variability of disease control, expense, and the logistics of introducing them into new crop production systems. Recent advances in molecular techniques applied to microbial ecology have led to significant progress in the elucidation of the role of bacteria and fungi and their metabolic products on disease suppression with the addition of organic amendments. Methods such as biosolarization and anaerobic soil disinfestation, developed to manipulate systems to favor beneficial microorganisms and to maximize their impact on plant pathogens, have been built on a strong historical research foundation in organic amendments and the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of disease suppressive soils. This review will focus on recent applications of organic amendments and their potential for management of soilborne plant pathogens and plant parasitic nematodes with emphasis primarily on annual fruit and vegetable production systems.

Technical Abstract: The loss of methyl bromide as a broad-spectrum soil fumigant and minimal advances in the development and registration of new chemical fumigants has resulted in a resurgence of interest in the application of organic amendments for soilborne plant pathogen, plant parasitic nematode, and weed management. Significant progress has been made in the characterization of organic amendments, application strategies for their use, and elucidation of the mechanisms by which they suppress soilborne pests. Nonetheless, their utility is limited by variability of disease control, expense, and the logistics of introducing them into new crop production systems. Recent advances in molecular techniques applied to microbial ecology have led to significant progress in the elucidation of the role of bacteria and fungi and their metabolic products on disease suppression with the addition of organic amendments. Methods such as biosolarization and anaerobic soil disinfestation, developed to manipulate systems to favor beneficial microorganisms and to maximize their impact on plant pathogens, have been built on a strong historical research foundation in organic amendments and the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of disease suppressive soils. This review will focus on recent applications of organic amendments and their potential for management of soilborne plant pathogens and plant parasitic nematodes with emphasis primarily on annual fruit and vegetable production systems.