Abstract
Using a soil bioassay technique, seedling growth and incidence of disease of wild mustard (Brassica kaber) and sweet corn (Zea mays) were assessed in soil from field plots that received either of two treatments: incorporated red clover (Trifolium pratense) residue plus application of compost (`amended soil'), or application of ammonium nitrate fertilizer (`unamended soil'). Soils were analyzed for percent moisture, dissolved organic carbon, conductivity, phenolics, and nutrient content. A trend toward greater incidence of Pythium spp. infection of wild mustard seedlings grown in amended soil was observed during the first 40 days after incorporation (DAI) of red clover and compost, with significant differences (α = 0.05) at two out of four sampling dates in 1997, and four out of four sampling dates in 1998. Incidence of Pythium infection was 10–70% greater in the amended soil treatment during that period. Asymptomatic wild mustard seedlings grown in amended soil were also on average 2.5 cm shorter (α = 0.05) at 5 DAI than those grown in unamended soil in one year out of two. Concentration of phenolic compounds in soil solution was weakly correlated with decreased shoot and root growth (r = 0.50, 0.28, respectively) and increased incidence of disease (r = 0.48) in wild mustard seedlings in one year out of two. Dissolved organic carbon concentration was weakly correlated with increased disease in wild mustard seedlings in both years (r = 0.51, 0.33, respectively). Growth of corn seedlings did not differ between the two soil treatments, suggesting that red clover green manure and compost may selectively reduce density and competitive ability of wild mustard in the field. Bioassay results corresponded well with emergence and shoot weight results from a related field study, indicating that this technique may be useful for screening potential soil treatments prior to field studies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agrios G N 1997 Plant Pathology, 4th ed. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA.
Blum U 1997 The benefits of citrate over EDTA for extracting phenolic acids from soils and plant debris. J. Chem. Ecol. 23, 347–362.
Box J D 1983 Investigation of the Folin-Ciocalteau phenol reagent for the determination of polyphenolic substances in natural waters. Water Res. 17, 511–525.
Conklin A E 2000 Effects of red clover (Trifolium pratense) green manure and compost soil amendments on the growth and health of wild mustard (Brassica kaber) seedlings. M. S. Thesis. Univ. of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Conover W J, Johnson M E and Johnson M M 1981 A comparative study of tests for homogeneity of variances, with applications to the outer continental shelf bidding data. Technometrics 23, 351–361.
Dabney S M, Schreiber J D, Rothrock C S and Johnson J R 1996 Cover crops affect sorghum seedling growth. Agron. J. 88, 961–970.
Davis A S 1998 Effects of organic nitrogen sources and timing of nitrogen fertilizer application on crop-weed interference. M.S. Thesis. Univ. of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Davis A S and Liebman M 2001 Nitrogen source influences Brassica kaber growth and competitive effect on Zea mays. Weed Sci. 49: 558–566.
Einhellig F A 1995 Allelopathy: current status and future goals. In Allelopathy: Organisms, Processes, and Applications. Ed. Inderjit, K.M.M. Dakshini, and F.A. Einhellig. pp 1–24. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.
Fernandez-Cornejo J and Jans S 1999 Pest Management in U.S. Agriculture. United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Agricultural Handbook Number 717.
Goodrich J A, Lykins Jr. B W and Clark R M 1991 Drinking water from agriculturally contaminated groundwater. J. Environ. Qual. 20, 707–717.
Goolsby D A, Coupe R C and Markovchick D J 1991 Distribution of selected herbicides and nitrate in the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, April through June 1991. Water Resources Investigations Report 91-4163, U.S. Geological Survey. Denver, Colorado.
Hendrix Jr. F F and Campbell W A 1973 Pythiums as plant pathogens. Annu. Rev. of Phytopath. 11, 77–98.
Hering T F, Cook R J and T ang W H 1987 Infection of wheat embryos by Pythium species during seed germination and the influence of seed age and soil matric potential. Phytopathology 77, 1104–1108.
Leather G R and Einhellig F A 1988 Bioassay of naturally occurring allelochemicals for phytotoxicity. J. Chem. Ecol. 14, 1821–1828.
Lehman M E and Blum U 1997 Cover crop debris effects on weed emergence as modified by environmental factors. Allelopathy J. 4, 69–88.
Liebman M and Davis A S 2000 Integration of soil, crop and weed management in low-external-input farming systems. Weed Res. 40, 27–47.
Lumsden R D, Lewis J A and Millner P D 1982 Composted sludge as a soil amendment for control of soilborne plant diseases. In Research for Small Farms. Ed. H.W. Kerr Jr. and L. Knutson. pp 275-277. USDA, ARS, Misc. Publ. No. 1422, Washington, D.C.
Lumsden R D, Lewis J A and Millner P D 1983 Effect of composted sewage sludge on several soilborne pathogens and diseases. Phytopathology 73, 1543–1548.
Mandava N B 1985 Chemistry and biology of allelopathic agents. In The Chemistry of Allelopathy. Ed. A C Thompson. pp 33–54. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.
Martin F N and Loper J E 1999 Soilborne plant diseases caused by Pythium spp.: ecology, epidemiology, and prospects for biological control. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 18, 111–181.
Nelson E B 1987 Rapid germination of sporangia of Pythium species in response to volatiles from germinating seeds. Phytopathology 77, 1108–1112.
Neter J, Kutner M, Nachtsheim C and Wasserman W 1996 Applied Linear Statistical Models. Irwin Publishers, Chicago, Ilinois.
Ohno T and First P R 1998 Assessment of the Folin and Ciocalteu's method for determining soil phenolic carbon. J. Environ. Qual. 27, 776–782.
Putnam A R 1994 Phytotoxicity of plant residues. In Managing Agricultural Residues. Ed. P W Unger. pp 285–314. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida.
Rice E L 1984 Allelopathy. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando. Florida.
Rothrock C S and Kirkpatrick T L 1995 The influence of winter legume cover crops on soilborne plant pathogens and cotton seedling diseases. Plant Dis. 79, 167–171.
Samson R A 1991. The weed suppressing effects of cover crops. In Fifth Annual REAP Conference, pp. 11–22, Macdonald College, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.
SAS Institute 1990a SAS/STAT User's Guide, Version 6, 4th ed., vol. 2. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina.
SAS Institute 1990b SAS Procedures Guide, Version 6, 3rd ed. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina.
Smiley RW 1996 Diseases of wheat in long-term agronomic experiments at Pendleton, Oregon. Plant Disease 80, 813–820
Stanghellini M E 1975 Spore germination, growth and survival of Pythium in soil. Proceedings of the American Phytopathological Society 1, 211–214.
Stone J K and Hansen E M 1993 Green manure effects on soilborne pathogens. Proceedings: Northeastern and Intermountain Forest and Conservation Nursery Associations. pp 57-64. St. Louis, Missouri.
Toussoun T A and Patrick Z A 1963 Effect of phytotoxic substances from decomposing plant residues on root rot of bean. Phytopathology 53, 265–270.
Tremblay N and Senecal M 1988 Nitrogen and potassium in nutrient solution influence seedling growth of four vegetable species. HortScience. 23, 1018–1020.
Ukrainczk L and McBride M B 1992 Oxidation of phenol in acidic aqeuous suspensions of manganese oxides. Clays Clay Min. 40, 157–166.
Vaughan D and Ord B G 1991 Extraction of potential allelochemicals and their effects on root morphology and nutrient contents. In Plant Root Growth: An Ecological Perspective. Ed. D Atkinson. pp. 399–421. Blackwell Scientific Publications, London.
Yanar Y, Lipps P E and Deep I W 1997 Effect of soil saturation duration and soil water content on root rot of maize caused by Pythium arrhenomanes. Plant Dis. 81,475–480.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Conklin, A.E., Susan Erich, M., Liebman, M. et al. Effects of red clover (Trifolium pratense) green manure and compost soil amendments on wild mustard (Brassica kaber) growth and incidence of disease. Plant and Soil 238, 245–256 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014448612066
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014448612066