Evaluating the Use of Postharvest Decomposition Treatments on Peanut Residues for Reducing Subsequent Infection by Nothopassalora personata

Abstract

The late leaf spot (LLS) pathogen  Nothopassalora personata overwinters on peanut residues left in the field. In this study, decomposition treatments were evaluated for their potential use in increasing the rate of decomposition of residues and potentially reducing LLS incidence. Treatments including urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) only, UAN plus a microbial stubble digestor (SD25), or UAN plus an adjuvant (Bond Max, BM), as well as timing of application in fall or spring, were assessed. Fall applications were not effective in reducing or delaying subsequent LLS epidemics. Although there were differences observed among treatments in the spring 2019 test, with UAN plus Bond Max-treated plots having significantly less defoliation from LLS at the end of the growing season, these results were not consistent in the 2020 experiments. Using the litterbag method, no consistent increase in decomposition was observed from treated residues compared with the nontreated control. Based on these results, the examined decomposition treatments were not considered to be useful in increasing the decomposition of peanut residues and subsequently reducing or delaying LLS epidemics. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .