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Low Temperature–Short Duration Steaming of Soil Kills Soil-Borne Pathogens, Nematode Pests and Weeds

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Abstract

Agricultural soil samples containing survival structures of the fungal crop pathogens Verticillium dahliae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Sclerotium cepivorum, Pythium ultimum, potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida and weeds Chenopodium album and Agropyron repens [Elymus repens] were treated in the laboratory with aerated steam at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80°C in a specially constructed apparatus. Steaming at 50 or 60°C for 3min, followed by an 8-min resting period in the steamed soil and immediate removal from the soil thereafter, resulted in 100% kill of all weeds, diseases and nematodes. When steamed at 45°C, there was a small but significant reduction in the survival of V. dahliae microsclerotia but no reduction in survival of S. cepivorum.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Soil Science, Cruickshank Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK

    Mariska C.A. van Loenen, Yzanne Turbett, Chris E. Mullins, Nigel E.H. Feilden, Michael J. Wilson & Wendy E. Seel

  2. Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Carlo Leifert

Authors
  1. Mariska C.A. van Loenen
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  2. Yzanne Turbett
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  3. Chris E. Mullins
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  4. Nigel E.H. Feilden
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  5. Michael J. Wilson
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  6. Carlo Leifert
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  7. Wendy E. Seel
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van Loenen, M.C., Turbett, Y., Mullins, C.E. et al. Low Temperature–Short Duration Steaming of Soil Kills Soil-Borne Pathogens, Nematode Pests and Weeds. European Journal of Plant Pathology 109, 993–1002 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EJPP.0000003830.49949.34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EJPP.0000003830.49949.34

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