Abstract
Both mycorrhizal and Trichoderma spp. fungi are known for antagonistic effects against certain biological pathogens causing apple replant disease (ARD). The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the bioinoculants based on endomycorrhizal and Trichoderma spp. fungi on the biological properties of soil as well as the parameters of the apple tree growths in a fruit tree nursery under replantation conditions. A two-year experiment was conducted on Jonagold apple trees grafted on to M.9 rootstock in western Poland. The trees were planted in the replant soil—from areas used for the production of apple trees, and in the crop rotation soil, that had not been used for nursery purposes before. A mycorrhizal inoculum and preparations containing Trichoderma spp. fungi were applied to the replant soil. Biological properties of the soil and the growth of the aerial and underground parts of the apple trees were assessed. The enzymatic (dehydrogenases and protease) and respiratory activity of the replant soil was significantly lower than that of the crop rotation soil. The apple trees grew worse when exposed to the ARD conditions. The effectiveness of applied bioinoculants in mitigating the effects of replantation in the nursery were shown. Both the treatment mycorrhization and the application of bioinoculants containing Trichoderma spp. increased the respiratory and enzymatic activity of the replant soil. The growth of the root system and the aerial parts of the trees (including leaves) was much better after the combined use of both types of fungi than in the replant soil that had not received the fungal treatment.
Highlights
Intensive fruit farming production is characterized by high efficiency, which is achieved through a high planting density for trees and the rapid onset of the fruiting period
The trees were planted in the same type of soil but with differing previous use, so-called crop rotation soil, which was not used for nursery purposes before, and replant soil, in which apple trees had been produced for two seasons
Our experiment showed that the root system of the apple trees growing in the replant soil (RS) developed more poorly than on the crop rotation soil (CRS)
Summary
Intensive fruit farming production is characterized by high efficiency, which is achieved through a high planting density for trees and the rapid onset of the fruiting period. In order to ensure this effect, it is necessary to use high-quality planting material, i.e., fruit trees on dwarf rootstocks with well-developed crowns that are free from viruses. If there is not enough new land, that was not used for nursery production before, new nurseries may be established in the places of old ones. This increases the risk of apple replant disease (ARD), known as the ‘replant problem’, ‘soil sickness’, or ‘soil fatigue’. Regardless of the type of cultivation, ARD may reduce the productivity of replant soil, which results in worse vegetative growth of plants [2,3,4,5], and lower yield and fruit quality [4,6,7]
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