Abstract
A study demonstrated the ability of the earthworms Aporrectodea rosea and Aporrectodea trapezoides (added at an equivalent density of 100 or 300 m −2) to reduce the disease severity of Rhizoctonia soiani Kühn on wheat in the field. In a calcareous sandy loam artificially infested with R. solani, the addition of these earthworms caused a significant ( P = 0.02) reduction of the Rhizoctonia root disease rating and had a significant ( P = 0.01) positive effect on shoot weight. Neither earthworm number or earthworm species had a significant ( P < 0.05) effect on root disease rating or shoot weight. In a red-brown earth soil artificially infested with R. solani, neither the presence of these earthworms, earthworm species nor earthworm number influenced root disease rating. However, under these conditions the addition of earthworms ( P = 0.01) had a significant positive effect upon shoot weight. To our knowledge these results demonstrate for the first time, the potential of earthworms to contribute to the disease suppression of a cropping soil in a field situation.
Published Version
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