The use of Brassica crops as green manure in the so-called biofumigation treatment has been successfully exploited for the management of soilborne pathogens and is gaining interest particularly in the case of less intensive agricultural systems. A study was undertaken to investigate possible negative sideeffects of biofumigation in order to prevent possible damage caused by wilt pathogens able to attack both plants used for biofumigation as well as agricultural crops. To do so, firstly the response of different Brassicas, including some used in biofumigation, to the formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum known for being pathogenic on Brassica crops was evaluated.
The efficacy of three steam application techniques (steam injection, iron pan and sheet steaming) was evaluated against five soilborne pathogens under controlled laboratory conditions. Injection and pan steam systems proved to be efficient and feasible alternatives to traditional sheet steaming for suppressing Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici at 60% moisture field capacity in sandy-loam soil. Injecting steam was the best technique to suppress F. oxysporum f. sp. basilici, F. oxysporum f. sp. raphani, F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans, Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora capsici. The mycelia of R. solani and P. capsici were very sensitive to heat and were effectively killed by injection of steam and by the pan steam system at 80% and 40% moisture field capacity.
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