Assessment of a new bio-organic remediation as a bio-fungicide in fusarium-infested soils of watermelon monoculture areas from China

Abstract

Sustainably managed soils can increase soil quality, biodiversity, and reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses. In several regions of China, long-term monocultures such as watermelon are leading to severe degradation of soil biological functions due to contamination by dominant and deleterious microbes, particularly Fusarium spp., resulting in decreased soil productivity and quality.The main goal of this study was to assess a new bio-organic fertilizer in monoculture areas by testing the interactions between Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum and microbial communities to inhibit it. The results showed that the tested organism significantly reduced Fusarium wilt in a watermelon monoculture plantation in China.The rate of wilt incidence following bio-fertilizer treatment was decreased by 70% at 63 days and the Fusarium counts in the watermelon rhizosphere declined too. Moreover, total abundance of bacteria increased, but total abundance of actinomycetes decreased.The beneficial microbes increased and became dominant while deleterious microbes, particularly Fusarium spp., were inhibited. The main conclusions of this study were that: i) a controlled bio-organic fertilizer stimulated the growth of ecologically beneficial microbes and naturally existing autochthonous antagonistic microbes; and, ii) the beneficial population structure and soil functions recovered following the reconstruction of functional microbial communities. Our results will add more useful information to understand how long-term crop monocultures can lead to detrimental effects on the soil microbial communities that will, in turn, affect the growth of plants and normal soil functions.

Control of Banana Wilt Disease Caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht f.sp. cubense (E. F. Smith) Using Crab Shell Powder and Chitosan

“…Remediation of Fusarium disease of long-term watermelon monoculture field soil using bio-organic material was also reported in China. This treatment significantly reduced the population pathogenic F. oxysporum and enhanced total beneficial bacteria in treated soils (Liu et al, 2018). The complex role of rhizhosphere microbal communities in plant health is well known, especially with regard to abundance and diversity (Fu et al, 2019).…”

Soil and Human Health: Current Status and Future Needs

“…Multiple reviews have focused on the importance of soil microbial interactions, both with each other and with plants, and associated ecosystem functions to sustainable and high-quality food production. [198][199][200][201] Empirical studies have shown that soil microbial community composition and functioning are important drivers of ecosystem processes that promote plant growth and fitness such as nutrient cycling are critical for long-term sustainable plant production. 202,203 Effectively managing soil microbial communities for increased long-term sustainability and ecosystem resilience will be critical to ensure secure food systems and maintain or improve human health and well-being under future global change conditions.…”

Sustainable Biorefinery and Production of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

“…(3) Suppressing soil-borne diseases such as fusarium wilt in banana (Shen et al, 2014; HASSAN EL-RAMADY et al Zhang et al, 2014), pepper (Wu et al, 2015), cucumber (Huang et al, 2017), watermelon (Liu et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2018;Xue et al, 2019), and generally acting as a biological control (Ma et al, 2018).…”