Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pendleton, Oregon » Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420754
Research Project: Optimizing and Enhancing Sustainable and Profitable Dryland Wheat Production

Location: Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center

Title: Short-term effects of cover crop rotation on soilborne pathogens of winter wheat in traditional crop-fallow systems

Author
item MAHATO, GENA - Oregon State University
item PLUNKETT, RACHAEL - Oregon State University
item SINGH, SURENDRA - Oregon State University
item BARROSO, JUDIT - Oregon State University
item MACHADO, STEPHEN - Oregon State University
item NAMDAR, GRAYSON - Oregon State University
item GRAEBNER, RYAN - Oregon State University
item Adams, Curtis
item Weinke, Cheyenne
item Durfee, Nicole
item CALDERON, FRANCISCO - Oregon State University
item HAGERTY, CHRISTINA - Oregon State University

Submitted to: PhytoFrontiers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2025
Publication Date: 9/24/2025
Citation: Mahato, G., Plunkett, R., Singh, S., Barroso, J., Machado, S., Namdar, G.F., Graebner, R.C., Adams, C.B., Weinke, C.R., Durfee, N.M., Calderon, F., Hagerty, C. 2025. Short-term effects of cover crop rotation on soilborne pathogens of winter wheat in traditional crop-fallow systems. PhytoFrontiers. 0(ja):1-41. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-25-0007-R.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-25-0007-R

Interpretive Summary: pending

Technical Abstract: Management of soilborne diseases is challenging in the winter wheat production system of the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW) due to the lack of effective management options and increased adoption of no-till practices. To determine whether cover crops (CCs) could be a viable management tool for winter wheat soilborne disease in no-till dryland winter wheat systems, a four site-year study was conducted in northeastern Oregon under low and intermediate annual precipitation regimes. The treatments included three fall-planted CCs (winter lentil, winter pea, and fall mix), six spring-planted CCs (common vetch, phacelia, spring barley, tillage radish, yellow mustard, and spring mix), and a fallow control. The abundance of soilborne pathogens was quantified during the winter wheat phase following a single year CC rotation. The abundance of soilborne pathogens varied between study sites. The CCs influenced the abundance of Fusarium pseudograminearum and Pythium clade F in crop year 2022-2023, but none significantly reduced pathogen abundance compared to fallow. Most CCs increased Pythium clade F abundance in crop year 2022-2023 compared to fallow. There was no effect of CC on any pathogen in crop year 2021-2022. Overall, the results suggest that short-term, single year CC rotations do not reduce the abundance of soilborne pathogens of winter wheat compared to fallow. This study highlights the need for longer-term CC studies to better understand their impacts on soilborne diseases of wheat.