Biological Suppression of Populations of Heterodera schachtii Adapted to Different Host Genotypes of Sugar Beet.

Caroline Eberlein,Andreas Westphal,Holger Heuer

doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.00812

Abstract

Productivity of sugar beet and brassica vegetable crops is constrained by the nematode Heterodera schachtii worldwide. In sugar beet cropping areas of Central Europe and North America, H. schachtii is managed by crop rotation, and cultivation of resistant brassica cover crops. The recently released nematode-tolerant sugar beet cultivars suffer less damage than susceptible cultivars at high initial population densities of H. schachtii. Many tolerant cultivars allow for less nematode reproduction than susceptible cultivars. Monoculture of susceptible hosts can facilitate the evolution of suppressive soil. Objectives of this study were to determine if susceptible hosts are required for this process, and if monoculture with sugar beet genotypes of different host status (susceptible, resistant, tolerant) impact this capacity. Additionally, we tested if amending soil with the cyst nematode pathogens Pasteuria nishizawae or Hyalorbilia sp. strain DoUCR50 favored the establishment of soil suppressiveness. In 4-year microplot studies with H. schachtii Schach0 or Schach1, one susceptible, one Schach0-resistant, and one tolerant sugar beet genotype were monocultured. In 2010, plots were amended with P. nishizawae or DoUCR50, the last being introduced into non-treated soil for Schach0, and into previously biocide-treated soil for Schach1. In 2011, respective Schach0 plots received a second amendment with DoUCR50. Nematode population densities and growth and yield parameters were determined annually. Effects of P. nishizawae and DoUCR50 on populations of H. schachtii were limited and not consistent. Starting in the second year of the monoculture, eggs of both H. schachtii pathotypes became diseased. Up to 90% of the total eggs were encumbered by the third cropping cycle, under the susceptible, resistant, and tolerant cultivar. In all years, the tolerant genotype produced the highest and most stable white sugar yields while yields of the other cultivars slowly improved during the monoculture. Results of this study suggested the presence of egg-infecting factors in this sugar beet monoculture that dramatically increased the proportions of diseased eggs. The tolerant cultivar allowed establishment of soil suppressiveness without the initial yield decline observed when susceptible sugar beet genotypes are grown in monoculture.

Highlights

The soil environment is the place of tri-trophic interactions of the plant, its parasites/pathogens, and potential beneficial organisms/hyperparasites that interfere with activities of the second trophic level
A suppressive effect of the monoculture was evident by the rapid and dramatic increase in diseased eggs that constituted over 90% of the total eggs by the third cropping cycle in both pathotypes
Irrespective of the cultivar that was cropped, this pronounced increase in diseased eggs suggests the compatibility of controlling factors with different sugar beet genotypes

Summary

Introduction

The soil environment is the place of tri-trophic interactions of the plant, its parasites/pathogens, and potential beneficial organisms/hyperparasites that interfere with activities of the second trophic level. In many cases, these interactions can result in suppression of the detrimental organisms allowing flourishing growth of host plants despite the presence of the parasites. In extreme cases of degraded soils, the balance of parasites and their antagonists is offset, and severe activities of detrimental organisms with resulting disease expression occur (Sikora, 1992; Stirling, 2014). Some suppression of parasitic activity by biological balancing is expected in most soils (Stirling, 1991; Mazzola, 2004; Janvier et al, 2007). Several studies have reported such soils, and methods of their detection and description have long been proposed (Weller et al, 2002; Westphal, 2005; Borneman and Becker, 2007)

Methods

Results

Conclusion