Abstract
The effect of composted organic household waste (shown to be suppressive towards soilborne plant pathogens) on the seedborne pathogen M. pinodes was evaluated in pot experiments. Artificially inoculated pea seeds were used which contained a defined number of spores per surface area with a suspension of 1 + 106 spores/ml in distilled water. Rate of emergence, fresh matter and lesions of epicotyl and hypocotyl were evaluated. Two sterilized growing media (sand or loam) amended with compost or light sphagnum peat suppressed the pathogen. 10%, 30% of compost and 30% of peat increased the fresh matter 67%, 130% and 54% respectively in sand compared to the untreated control. These results were similar in steamed loam, only peat showed a higher yield (108%). The results demonstrate the suppressiveness of composts and peat against seed-borne fungi. This effect was not observed in non-sterilized media (loam only).
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