Abstract
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the three most productive oilseed crops worldwide. Soilborne diseases limit yields and are challenging to manage. The fungi Verticillium dahliae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Macrophomina phaseolina can survive in the soil for many years and spread. Following the ban on fumigants, biofumigation, which consists of growing, chopping and incorporating a Brassicaceae cover crop to allow biocidal compounds production in the soil, may be an alternative. Biocidal effects of the hydrolysis of glucosinolate into active compounds, such as isothiocyanates, have been shown in laboratory studies, but the effectiveness of biofumigation varies more in the field. The present study reviews the main factors that determine effective biofumigation to protect sunflower. Since the toxicity of isothiocyanates to pathogens varies widely among the latter, we reviewed studies that assessed the suppressive effect of products of glucosinolate hydrolysis on V. dahliae, S. sclerotiorum and M. phaseolina. Farmers can use many mechanisms to increase isothiocyanate production, which may protect sunflower crop effectively. Increasing biomass production and chopping the cover crop during mild temperatures and before rainy periods could increase biofumigation effectiveness. Further field experiments are needed to confirm the potential of biofumigation to control soilborne diseases of sunflower and assess potential disservices to beneficial soil communities, given their potential key role in the control of soilborne pathogens.
Highlights
1.1 Oilseed crop production and protection1.1.1 Factors that limit crop yieldSince 2015, soybean (Glycine max), rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) have been the three main oilseed crops produced worldwide (FAOSTAT, 2020)
To assess the sensitivity of sunflower pathogens to biofumigation, this review focuses on laboratory or field experiments performed to evaluate suppressive effects of synthetic GSLs/ITCs or Brassicaceae incorporation on V. dahliae, S. sclerotiorum and M. phaseolina (Tab. 1)
Soil infested with MS exposed to 3 aliphatic and 2 aromatics versus UC 22 natural soil and sterile quartz sand infested with MS exposed to 150 nmol/g of 2-propenyl-ITC versus UC S.s and other pathogens exposed to different concentrations of 2-PE-ITC versus UC Mycelium exposed to different concentrations of pure-ITC versus UC
Summary
1.1 Oilseed crop production and protection1.1.1 Factors that limit crop yieldSince 2015, soybean (Glycine max), rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) have been the three main oilseed crops produced worldwide (FAOSTAT, 2020). Napus) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) have been the three main oilseed crops produced worldwide (FAOSTAT, 2020). Despite the moderate water requirements of sunflower, drought is the main environmental factor that limits its growth (Debaeke et al, 2017a), and high temperature can decrease its final production of seeds and oil (Harris et al, 1978). In most European countries that produce sunflower (Romania, Spain, France, Bulgaria, and Hungary), yield gaps of 1.1–2.4 t/ha have been reported, and climate change could be partly responsible for them (Debaeke et al, 2017a). Biotic stress limits oilseed crop production worldwide. S. sclerotiorum and V. dahliae could tolerate unfavorable periods better (Wilhem, 1955; Debaeke et al, 2017a) via their long-term structures À sclerotia and microsclerotia (MS), respectively À, which remain viable in the soil for many years (Mol et al, 1995; Ćosić et al, 2012)
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