Abstract
Specific apple replant disease (SARD) is a problem in replanted apple orchards worldwide. The causative agents in New Zealand are thought to be biotic in nature. The effect of commercial Trichoderma bio-inoculants on SARD symptoms was investigated in two independent experiments in two SARD soils and one non-SARD soil treated with chloropicrin, commercial Trichoderma pellet and powder formulations, and a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) supplement. Rooted stool-bed cuttings of ungrafted ‘M.26’ apple rootstocks grown in the SARD soils treated with chloropicrin fumigation produced significantly more biomass over the growing season with reduced root disease symptoms compared with untreated controls. The plants grown in the SARD soils treated with the Trichoderma pellet formulations or the NPK supplement also exhibited a significant improvement in growth, with no reduction in root disease symptoms. Similar responses were noted when dead (autoclaved) Trichoderma pellet formulations or unformulated pellets were applied. No disease reduction or growth improvement was observed in the plants grown in soil treated with a Trichoderma spore powder (without the standard carrier included in the pellet formulations). Thus, the improved growth response associated with the Trichoderma treatments correlated with an additive associated with the pellet formulation, and not to the presence of ‘live’ Trichoderma inoculum.
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