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Title: SOIL SOLARIZATION AND GLIOCLADIUM VIRENS REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF SOUTHERN BLIGHT IN BELL PEPPER IN THE FIELD

Author
item RISTAINO, JEAN - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item KATHARINE, PERRY - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item Lumsden, Robert

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Field production of vegetables, including bell peppers, requires new methods for control of soilborne plant pathogens which cause considerable losses to growers. Two systems for disease control were studied to determine the interaction of solarization treatment with the biocontrol fungus Gliocladium virens on incidence of southern blight of pepper and on survival of the pathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii. Solarization during crop growth increased the incidence of southern blight, and G. virens was not effective under the mulch. In addition, pepper yields were low when plants were mulched with clear plastic during crop growth. In contrast, solarization of fallow soil for 6 weeks prior to crop growth significantly reduced disease incidence in the subsequent pepper crop. In addition, in two years, G. virens alone reduced southern blight in nonsolarized soils and reduced survival of sclerotia of S. rolfsii at all depths and all locations in soil in both years. The data demonstrate two effective biological control strategies for management of southern blight in the southeastern U.S. that can be used by growers to reduce losses caused by this important soilborne disease.

Technical Abstract: The timing of solarization in relation to planting of pepper and the timing of soil amendment with a bran prill formulation of Gliocladium virens in relation to solarization was evaluated for effects on the incidence of southern blight and survival of sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii in bell pepper in the field. Solarization during crop growth increased the incidence of southern blight and G. virens was not effective under the mulch. In addition, pepper yields were low when plants were mulched with clear plastic during crop growth. In contrast, solarization of fallow soil for 6 weeks prior to crop growth significantly reduced disease incidence in the subsequent pepper crop. In addition, in two years, G. virens alone reduced southern blight in nonsolarized soils and reduced survival of sclerotia of S. rolfsii at all depth and all locations in both years. The data demonstrate two effective biological control strategies for management of southern blight the southeastern U.S.