Abstract
ABSTRACT: Clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, limits the production of Brassica spp. worldwide. Little is known about the factors related to the development of the disease in kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) plants and in crops in mountainous areas under tropical conditions. This study examined the severity of clubroot in kale crops as well as identify potential flaws in management and the soil and relief factors related to its occurrence. The study was conducted in 24 kale fields in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Soil and kale growth management practices adopted in the region were identified and samples of soil and plants were collected. Subsequently, soil and relief attributes, disease severity, biomass and nutrient and Al contents and accumulation in the plants were determined. There was a high spread of the pathogen in the areas. Inappropriate and recurrent practices in the region were detected, e.g., sequential cultivation of host species, low adoption of soil fertility analysis and liming and conservation practices, and community use of agricultural machinery and implements without prior cleaning. The disease was associated with more acidic soils, subject to greater water accumulation and with high levels of Al3+ as well as with higher Al contents and accumulation in the roots. Management practices must be adopted in the region to reduce the potential inoculum of P. brassicae and to increase soil fertility.
Highlights
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) is a leafy vegetable with great nutritional and medicinal value that is highly appreciated in Brazilian and worldwide cuisine (TRANI et al, 2015; SAMEC et al, 2019)
Like other vegetables of the species B. oleracea, kale is better produced under mild temperatures, which is why it is commonly grown in higher-altitude regions in Brazil (TRANI et al, 2015; BHERING et al, 2017; SANTOS et al, 2020; SANTOS et al, 2021)
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) (38%) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) (24%) were the vegetables most often cited as complementary crops or which preceded the studied kale crops
Summary
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) is a leafy vegetable with great nutritional and medicinal value that is highly appreciated in Brazilian and worldwide cuisine (TRANI et al, 2015; SAMEC et al, 2019). Acephala) is a leafy vegetable with great nutritional and medicinal value that is highly appreciated in Brazilian and worldwide cuisine (TRANI et al, 2015; SAMEC et al, 2019). This plant is predominantly propagated by shoots from axillary buds and has multiple harvests and a cultivation cycle that can extend over periods of more than one year (TRANI et al, 2015). A biotrophic phytopathogen specific to species of the family Brassicaceae This pathogen infects and colonizes the roots, resulting in the formation of galls and impairing water and nutrient absorption process (DIXON, 2009; GOSSEN et al, 2014; BOTERO et al, 2019). Productivity losses can vary from 10 to 50% (DIXON, 2009)
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