Directing the Apple Rhizobiome toward Resiliency Post-Fumigation

Tracey Somera (), Mark Mazzola and Chris Cook
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Tracey Somera: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Tree Fruit Research Laboratory, 1104 N. Western Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801, USA
Mark Mazzola: Department of Plant Pathology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7600, South Africa
Chris Cook: Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, 1100 N Western Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98801, USA

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: Currently, there are no standard management practices to counteract the adverse effects of fumigation on the soil microbiome. In this study, a variety of pre-plant soil amendments were examined for their ability to recruit and maintain apple rhizosphere microbiomes that are suppressive to pathogen re-infestation of fumigated orchard soils. The capacity of these amendments to improve other characteristics of soil productivity was also evaluated. Results suggest that composted chicken manure and liquid chitin are likely to be detrimental to plant and soil health when used as a post-fumigation soil amendment. In comparison, insect frass (IF) resulted in a significant increase in tree trunk diameter relative to the fumigated control. Following pathogen re-infestation of fumigated soil, however, IF induced a significant increase in Pythium ultimum in the rhizosphere. Therefore, IF can benefit the growth of young apple trees in fumigated soil but may stimulate pathogen activity upon re-infestation. To date, the possibility of using soil amendments to suppress pathogen re-infestation of fumigated soils has not been tested. Results from this study ground support the use of soil amendments as an intervention strategy for “steering” the soil and rhizosphere microbiome in more beneficial and/or prophylactic directions following fumigation.

Keywords: apple replant disease; post-fumigation; rhizosphere microbiome; soil amendment; soil health; insect frass; Brassica (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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