On-Farm Evaluations of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation and Grafting for Management of a Widespread Soilborne Disease Complex in Protected Culture Tomato Production

Abstract

Tomato production in Ohio protected culture systems is hindered by a soilborne disease complex consisting of corky root rot (Pyrenochaeta lycopersici), black dot root rot (Colletotrichum coccodes), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae), and root-knot (Meloidogyne hapla and M. incognita). In a survey of 71 high tunnels, C. coccodes was detected in 90% of high tunnels, and P. lycopersici (46%), V. dahliae (48%), and Meloidogyne spp. (45%) were found in nearly half of high tunnels. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) with wheat bran (20.2 Mg/ha) plus molasses (10.1 Mg/ha) and grafting onto ‘Maxifort’ or ‘Estamino’ rootstocks were evaluated in high tunnels on five farms. In post-ASD bioassays of trial soils, root and taproot rot severity were significantly reduced after ASD, and root-knot galling was also reduced by ASD. Soilborne pathogenic fungi were isolated less frequently from bioassay plants grown in ASD-treated soils than control soils. Similar results were observed in tomato plants grown in high tunnels. Root rot was significantly reduced by ASD in nearly all trials. Corky root rot severity was highest in nongrafted plants grown in nontreated soils, and the lowest levels of corky root rot were observed in ‘Maxifort’-grafted plants. Black dot root rot severity was higher or equivalent in grafted plants compared with nongrafted plants. Root-knot severity was lower in plants grown in ASD-treated soils in high tunnels compared with plants grown in control soils, but grafting did not significantly decrease root-knot severity. However, soil treatment did not significantly affect yield, and grafting led to inconsistent impacts on yield.