Articles
EVALUATION OF SOIL STEAMING AND A FORMALDEHYDE DRENCH FOR CONTROL OF FUSARIUM WILT IN COLUMN STOCK
Article number
698_16
Pages
129 – 134
Language
English
Abstract
Column stock (Matthiola incana) grown intensively is susceptible to several soil-borne diseases.
Since 2003, Fusarium wilt caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. mathioli has caused widespread crop losses in the UK. Outbreaks have occurred even after soil steaming, especially in areas within glasshouses where severe outbreaks occurred in a previous crop.
With the imminent loss of methyl bromide, an alternative pre-plant soil treatment to control this pathogen is urgently required.
Soil steaming and formaldehyde drench treatments were evaluated in glasshouses in Eastern England.
Following a crop of stocks, the soil was sub-soiled, cultivated and sheet-steamed using a mobile boiler.
Formaldehyde was applied as Formalin at 0.5 L product/m2 in 2.5 and 5.0 L water by hand-watering, and at 0.15 L/m2 directly to the soil and watered in using overhead sprinklers (3.9 L/m2). Treatment efficacy was determined by assessing % viability of F. oxysporum in naturally infected stocks stem pieces buried in the soil in nylon bags before treatment, recovered after treatment, surface sterilised and plated onto agar.
Steam treatment reduced the viability of Fusarium in stem pieces on recovery from 97% to 41, 38, 76 and 89% at 0, 15, 30 and 45 cm depths, respectively.
Similar results were obtained in a second steaming experiment.
Drenching soil with 0.5 L Formalin/2.5 L water/m2 gave 0, 3 and 60% viability at 0, 5 and 15 cm depths.
Application in 5 L/m2 of water was less effective.
Applying formaldehyde to the soil surface and irrigating with sprinklers resulted in complete elimination of Fusarium from stem pieces on the soil surface.
Since 2003, Fusarium wilt caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. mathioli has caused widespread crop losses in the UK. Outbreaks have occurred even after soil steaming, especially in areas within glasshouses where severe outbreaks occurred in a previous crop.
With the imminent loss of methyl bromide, an alternative pre-plant soil treatment to control this pathogen is urgently required.
Soil steaming and formaldehyde drench treatments were evaluated in glasshouses in Eastern England.
Following a crop of stocks, the soil was sub-soiled, cultivated and sheet-steamed using a mobile boiler.
Formaldehyde was applied as Formalin at 0.5 L product/m2 in 2.5 and 5.0 L water by hand-watering, and at 0.15 L/m2 directly to the soil and watered in using overhead sprinklers (3.9 L/m2). Treatment efficacy was determined by assessing % viability of F. oxysporum in naturally infected stocks stem pieces buried in the soil in nylon bags before treatment, recovered after treatment, surface sterilised and plated onto agar.
Steam treatment reduced the viability of Fusarium in stem pieces on recovery from 97% to 41, 38, 76 and 89% at 0, 15, 30 and 45 cm depths, respectively.
Similar results were obtained in a second steaming experiment.
Drenching soil with 0.5 L Formalin/2.5 L water/m2 gave 0, 3 and 60% viability at 0, 5 and 15 cm depths.
Application in 5 L/m2 of water was less effective.
Applying formaldehyde to the soil surface and irrigating with sprinklers resulted in complete elimination of Fusarium from stem pieces on the soil surface.
Publication
Authors
T.M. O¿Neill, K.R. Green, T. Ratcliffe
Keywords
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mathioli, Matthiola incana, formaldehyde, steaming
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