title: Compost suppressiveness against Phytophthora capsicion pepper in potting trials.
abstract: Suppression of soil-borne plant diseases with composts has been widely studied. Composts suppressive to soil-borne pathogens have been detected in various cropping systems. Vegetable plants are generally propagated in pots, allowing the use of suppressive substrates to control zoospore-producing pathogens, like Phytophthora sp. The objective of the present work was to assess compost suppressiveness against Phytophthora capsici on pepper (cv. Corno di Toro). A municipal compost showing a good suppressive activity in previous trials on vegetable crops was used. Compost was mixed at 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% (v/v) with a commercial peat substrate, used as control. Substrates have been inoculated at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/l with wheat and hemp kernels infested with P. capsici and after one week 10 plants were transplanted for each treatment in 4 trays of 10 liters volume capacity and placed in greenhouse at 20 degrees C. Diseased plants were assessed weekly after transplanting and above-ground biomass of plants was assessed at the end of the trials. Compost applied at 80% significantly controlled the disease at high inoculum density (1 g/l), while at lower inoculums density, 0.25 and 0.5 g/l, reduced compost applications, 40% and 60% respectively, were sufficient to significantly control the disease. The application of compost at 20%, in absence of the pathogen, increased the biomass of pepper plants compared to control. The use of compost based substrates can be a suitable strategy for controlling soil-borne diseases on pepper, but results depends on application rates.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marenco
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gullino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garibaldi
mesh_terms: D002212:Capsicum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D010838:Phytophthora / Q000502:physiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil