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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #114835
Title: EFFECT OF BOTANICAL EXTRACTS IN COMBINATION WITH BIOCONTROL ORGANISMS ON CONTROL OF FUSARIUM WILT OF MUSKMELON

Author
item BOWERS, JOHN - USDA,ARS,USNA,FNPRU
item Locke, James

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Plant extracts in combination with biocontrol organisms were evaluated in greenhouse tests for control of Fusarium wilt. Formulated extracts (10% aqueous emulsions of cassia tree extract or chili pepper extract mixed with essential oil of mustard) or biocontrol fungi (SoilGard, RootShield, Trichoderma sp. 5c, or nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum CS-20) were incorporated into infested soil. After 7 days, biocontrol fungi were incorporated into extract-treated soil, and all treatments planted 3 days later. There were no significant effects (P=0.05) of biocontrol fungi alone on disease incidence. Cassia extract alone significantly reduced disease incidence. There was no further control with the addition of the biocontrol organisms. Disease control with the pepper/mustard mixture was significantly less than with the cassia treatment, but the addition of F. oxysporum CS-20 statistically further reduced disease incidence. This demonstrates the principle that a combination of a natural plant extract with a biocontrol organism may be a viable strategy to control soilborne pathogens.