European Journal of Plant Pathology

, Volume 143, Issue 2, pp 385–398 | Cite as

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and compost affect tomato root morphology

Article
First Online:
Accepted:

Abstract

The suppressive influence of compost towards the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici on tomatoes with special emphasis on root morphological modifications was examined. Roots of inoculated and non-inoculated tomato plants, grown in three different substrates (control, 20 % compost and 40 % compost), were scanned and analyzed in order to identify their morphological traits. To examine a potential systemic effect of compost, the plants were placed in individual pots or in split-root systems. Obtained results showed that F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici caused decreased root lengths and reduced root weight, root surface area and root volume. Furthermore, an increase in fine root fraction and specific root length was observed in inoculated plants. Substrate containing 20 % compost had a clear stabilizing effect towards pathogen-related changes of the root morphology and was best able to mitigate below-ground symptoms on plants cultivated in individual pots. The morphology of roots grown in split-root systems was not directly affected by the presence of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, but complex interactions between the pathogen and the substrate were observed, strongly depending on which substrate was inoculated. These results indicated that soil amendment with compost in moderate amounts contributes to plant health and could provide an alternative to peat based substrates in sustainable production systems.

Keywords

Biological control Compost Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Root morphology Solanum lycopersicum 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Alireza Nakhforoosh and the Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management at the University of Natural Resources and Life Science Vienna (BOKU) for their helpful support with the root scanner and the software WinRhizo®. For language revision we cordially thank Christina Schirmbrandt (Vienna).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Alabouvette, C. (1986). Fusarium-wilt suppressive soils from the Châteaurenard region: review of a 10-year study. Agronomie, 6, 273–284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Alabouvette, C., Olivain, C., & Steinberg, C. (2006). Biological control of plant diseases: the European situation. European Journal of Plant Pathology. doi: 10.1007/s10658-005-0233-0.Google Scholar
  3. Berg, B., & McClaugherty, C. (2003). Plant litter. Decomposition, humus formation, carbon sequestration. Berlin: Springer.Google Scholar
  4. Biles, C. L., & Martyn, R. D. (1989). Local and systemic resistance induced in watermelon by formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum. Phytopathology, 79, 856–860.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Bollen, G. J. (1993). Facstors involved in inactivation of plant pathogens during composting of crop residues. In H. A. J. Hoitink & H. Keener (Eds.), Science and engineering of composting: Designing, environmental, microbial and utilization aspects (pp. 301–318). Worthington: Renaissance Publications.Google Scholar
  6. Bonanomi, G., Antignani, V., Capodilupo, M., & Scala, F. (2010). Identifying the characteristics of organic soil amendments that suppress soilborne plant diseases. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.10.012.Google Scholar
  7. Borrero, C., Trillas, M. I., Ordovás, J., Tello, J. C., & Avilés, M. (2004). Predictive factors for the suppression of Fusarium wilt of tomato in plant growth media. Phytopathology. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO.2004.94.10.1094.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Borrero, C., Infantes, M. J., Gonzáles, E., Avilés, M., & Tello, J. C. (2005). Relation between suppressiveness to tomato fusarium wilt and microbial populations in different growth media. Acta Horticulturae, 697, 425–430.Google Scholar
  9. Bouma, T. J., Nielsen, K. L., & Koutstaal, B. (2000). Sample preparation and scanning protocol for computerised analysis of root length and diameter. Plant and Soil. doi: 10.1023/A:1014905104017.Google Scholar
  10. Cotxarrera, L., Trillas-Gay, M. I., Steinberg, C., & Alabouvette, C. (2002). Use of sewage sludge compost and Trichoderma asperellum isolates to suppress Fusarium wilt of tomato. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. doi: 10.1016/S0038-0717(01)00205-X.Google Scholar
  11. Delschen, T. (1999). Impacts of long-term application of organic fertilizers on soil quality parameters in reclaimed loess soils of the Rhineland lignite mining area. Plant and Soil. doi: 10.1023/A:1004373102966.Google Scholar
  12. Duijff, B. J., Pouhair, D., Olivain, C., Alabouvette, C., & Lemanceau, P. (1998). Implication of systemic induced resistance in the suppression of fusarium wilt of tomato by Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS417r and by nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum Fo47. European Journal of Plant Pathology. doi: 10.1023/A:1008626212305.Google Scholar
  13. Feller, C., Bleiholder, H., Buhr, L., Hack, H., Hess, M., Klose, R., et al. (1995). Phänologische Entwicklungsstadien von Gemüsepflanzen I, Fruchtgemüse und Hülsenfrüchte. Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes, 47, 217–232.Google Scholar
  14. Fitter, A. (2002). Characteristics and functions of root systems. In Y. Waisel, A. Eshel, & U. Kafkafi (Eds.), Plant roots: The hidden half (pp. 15–32). New York: Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
  15. Forde, B., & Lorenzo, H. (2001). The nutritional control of root development. Plant and Soil. doi: 10.1023/A:1010329902165.Google Scholar
  16. Harris, R. W. (1992). Root-shoot ratios. Journal of Arboriculture, 18, 39–42.Google Scholar
  17. Himmelbauer, M., Sobotik, M., & Loiskandl, W. (2011). Reaktionen des Wurzelsystems auf bodenphysikalische Bedingungen. In L. F. Z. Raumberg-Gumpenstein (Ed.), 1. Tagung der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Wurzelforschung, Pflanzenwurzel im System Boden-Pflanze-Atmosphäre (pp. 105–112). LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein: Irdning.Google Scholar
  18. Hoitink, H. A. J., Dougthery, M., & Tayama, H. K. (1987). Control of cyclamen Fusarium wilt—a preliminary report. Ohio Florists’ Association Bulletin, 693, 1–3.Google Scholar
  19. Hoitink, H. A. J., Stone, A. G., & Han, D. Y. (1997). Suppression of plant diseases by composts. HortScience, 32, 184–187.Google Scholar
  20. Hoitink, H. A. J., Krause, M. S., & Han, D. Y. (2001). Spectrum and mechanisms of plant disease control with composts. In P. J. Stofella & B. A. Kahn (Eds.), Compost utilization in horticultural cropping systems (pp. 263–273). Boca Raton: CRC Press.Google Scholar
  21. Jones, J. B. (2007). Tomato plant culture in the field, greenhouse and home garden. Boca Raton: CRC Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Jones, J. P., Engelhard, A. W., & Woltz, S. S. (1993). Management of Fusarium wilt of vegetables and ornamentals by macro- and microelement nutrition. In W. A. Engelhard (Ed.), Soilborne Plant Pathogens: Management of Diseases with Macro- and Microelements (pp. 18–32). St. Paul: The American Phytopathological Society.Google Scholar
  23. Kavroulakis, N., Ntougias, S., Besi, M. I., Katsou, O., Damaskinou, A., Ehaliotis, C., et al. (2010). Antagonistic bacteria of composted agro-industrial residues exhibit antibiosis against soil-borne fungal plant pathogens and protection of tomato plants from Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici. Plant and Soil. doi: 10.1007/s11104-010-0338-x.Google Scholar
  24. Kramer, P. J., & Boyer, J. S. (1995). Water relations of plants and soils (pp. 115–166). San Diego: Academic Press.Google Scholar
  25. Kroon, B. A. M., Scheffer, R. J., & Elgersma, D. M. (1991). Induced resistance in tomato plants against Fusarium wilt invoked by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi. Netherlands Journal of Plant Pathology. doi: 10.1007/BF03041387.Google Scholar
  26. Langer, I., Syafruddin, S., Steinkellner, S., Puschenreiter, M., & Wenzel, W. W. (2010). Plant growth and root morphology of Phaseolus vulgaris L. grown in a split-root system is affected by heterogeneity of crude oil pollution and mycorrhizal colonization. Plant and Soil. doi: 10.1007/s11104-010-0300-y.Google Scholar
  27. Larkin, R. P., & Fravel, D. R. (1999). Mechanisms of action and dose-response relationships governing biological control of Fusarium wilt of tomato by nonpathogenic Fusarium spp. Phytopathology, 89, 1152–1161.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  28. Lazcano, C., Arnold, J., Tato, A., Zaller, J. G., & Domíngues, J. (2009). Compost and vermicompost as nursery pot components: effects on tomato plant growth and morphology. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research. doi: 10.5424/sjar/2009074-1107.Google Scholar
  29. Leifeld, J., Siebert, S., & Kogel-Knabner, I. (2002). Changes in the chemical composition of soil organic matter after application of compost. European Journal of Soil Science. doi: 10.1046/j.1351-0754.2002.00453.x.Google Scholar
  30. Louvet, J., Alabouvette, C., & Rouxel, F. (1981). Microbiological suppressiveness of some soils to Fusarium wilts. In P. E. Nelson, T. A. Toussoun, & R. J. Cook (Eds.), Fusarium: Diseases, biology and taxonomy (pp. 261–275). University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press.Google Scholar
  31. Mazurier, S., Corberand, T., Lemanceau, P., & Raaijmakers, J. M. (2009). Phenazine antibiotics produced by fluorescent pseudomonads contribute to natural soil suppressiveness to Fusarium wilt. ISME Journal. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2009.33.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  32. Nelson, P., Toussoun, T., & Marasas, W. (1983). Fusarium species, an illustrated manual for identification. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press.Google Scholar
  33. Pharand, B., Carisse, O., & Benhamou, N. (2002). Cytological aspects of compostmediated induced resistance against Fusarium crown and root rot in tomato. Phytopathology. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO.2002.92.4.424.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  34. Robinson, D. (1996). Variation, coordination and compensation in root systems in relation to soil variability. Plant and Soil, 187, 57–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Scherer, H. W., Werner, W., & Neumann, A. (1996). N-Nachlieferung und N-Immobilisierung von Komposten mit unterschiedlichem Ausgangsmaterial, Rottegrad und C/N-Verhältnis. Agrobiological Research, 49, 120–129.Google Scholar
  36. Steinkellner, S., Hage-Ahmed, K., García-Garrido, J. M., Illana, A., Ocampo, J. A., & Vierheilig, H. (2011). A comparison of wild-type, old and modern tomato cultivars in the interaction with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mossae and the tomato pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Mycorrhiza. doi: 10.1007/s00572-011-0393-z.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  37. Trillas-Gay, M. I., Hoitink, H. A. J., & Madden, L. V. (1986). Nature of suppression of Fusarium wilt of radish in a container medium amended with composted hardwood bark. Plant Disease. doi: 10.1094/PD-70-1023.Google Scholar
  38. Woltz, S. S., & Jones, J. P. (1981). Nutritional requirements of Fusarium oxysporum: basis for a disease control system. In P. E. Nelson, T. A. Toussoun, & R. J. Cook (Eds.), Fusarium: Diseases, Biology, and Taxonomy (pp. 340–349). University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press.Google Scholar
  39. Yogev, A., Raviv, M., Hadar, Y., Cohen, R., Wolf, S., Gil, L., et al. (2010). Induced resistance as a putative component of compost suppressiveness. Biological Control. doi: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2010.03.004.Google Scholar
  40. Zhang, W., Han, D. Y., Dick, W. A., Davis, K. R., & Hoitink, H. A. J. (1998). Compost and compost water extract-induced systemic acquired resistance in cucumber and Arabidopsis. Phytopathology. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO.1998.88.5.450.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Koninklijke Nederlandse Planteziektenkundige Vereniging 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Crop Sciences, Division of Plant ProtectionUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesTullnAustria

Personalised recommendations