Articles
SOIL AND CROP HEALTH FOLLOWING SOIL DISINFESTATION
Article number
883_1
Pages
25 – 36
Language
English
Abstract
The concept of plant health is far more than the opposite of plant disease, although relative freedom from disease is necessary.
A healthy plant has to grow in a healthy soil, in which the absence of major (clinical) and minor (subclinical) pathogens and a balanced biotic and abiotic environment for plant growth are prerequisites for achieving a balanced system.
In addition, soil health has to be sustainable, thus the soil has to maintain a certain level of suppressiveness to protect it from pathogen invasion.
Soil health should be achieved with minimal disturbance of the environment and depletion of natural resources.
A variety of tests can be used to assess soil health: assessment of pathogen populations, tests for microbial activity and diversity, chemical and physical analyses, biotests and remote sensing techniques.
Decision-making tools can be most helpful.
Soil disinfestation (alone or combined with other methods) is a very effective tool for improving soil health in pathogen-infested soils or in soil with sickness (fatigue) or replant problems.
Beyond pathogen control, soil disinfestation may also improve plant health in noninfested soils.
Soil disinfestation should be part of a holistic approach that includes additional means of improving crop and soil health so as not to depend on a single method of management.
A healthy plant has to grow in a healthy soil, in which the absence of major (clinical) and minor (subclinical) pathogens and a balanced biotic and abiotic environment for plant growth are prerequisites for achieving a balanced system.
In addition, soil health has to be sustainable, thus the soil has to maintain a certain level of suppressiveness to protect it from pathogen invasion.
Soil health should be achieved with minimal disturbance of the environment and depletion of natural resources.
A variety of tests can be used to assess soil health: assessment of pathogen populations, tests for microbial activity and diversity, chemical and physical analyses, biotests and remote sensing techniques.
Decision-making tools can be most helpful.
Soil disinfestation (alone or combined with other methods) is a very effective tool for improving soil health in pathogen-infested soils or in soil with sickness (fatigue) or replant problems.
Beyond pathogen control, soil disinfestation may also improve plant health in noninfested soils.
Soil disinfestation should be part of a holistic approach that includes additional means of improving crop and soil health so as not to depend on a single method of management.
Publication
Authors
J. Katan, A. Vanachter
Keywords
diversity, resilience, soil fatigue, soil sickness, sustainable
Online Articles (52)