Abstract

Pistachio gummosis is one of the major diseases of pistachio trees in Iran. This study was conducted to achieve non-pesticidal management of the causal agent of this disease, Phytophthora pistacia, using silicon salts. The activities of sodium and potassium silicate in controlling the causal agent of the disease were evaluated. In vitro studies on cultures of P. pistaciae exposed to different silicon salts showed significant inhibition of mycelial growth, sporangial production, cyst germination and a substantial reduced dry weight of mycelial mats. Silicate salts reduced the size and volume of sporangia, but increased the diameter and volume of oospores and had no significant effect on oogonial volume. All tested concentrations of potassium silicate reduced zoospore discharge whereas no such activity was observed for sodium silicate. In vivo trials on broad bean (potential annual host of the pathogen) and seedlings of pistachio cultivars Sarakhs, Badami-Rize-Zarand and Ghazvini with application of silicon salts before and after inoculation of sterilized soil with P. pistaciae significantly reduced the disease by reducing the percentage of colonized roots and the mortality of the hosts in comparison with the control. None of the salts had any significant effects on the pH and electrical conductivity of soil. Analyses using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) showed a significant increase of silicon concentration in Si-treated broad bean and pistachio plants. Based on the results, sodium silicate treatment could be more advantageous than the corresponding potassium salt to P. pistaciae gummosis management.

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