Journal Article

Negative feedback on a perennial crop: Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus is related to changes in soil microbial community structure

Nakano-Hylander, A, St-Arnaud, M, Vujanovic, V, Jeannotte, R, Hamel, C

2005

Overview

The dynamic equilibrium of an ecosystem is driven by mutual feedback interactions between plants and soil microorganisms. Asparagus exerts a particularly strong influence on its soil environment through abundant production of persistent phenolic acids, which impact selectively soil microorganisms and may be involved in Fusarium crown and root rot (FCRR) of asparagus. In a survey of 50 asparagus plantations of the province of Québec, we found that FCRR was associated with a profound cultivar-specific, reorganization of the soil microbial community, as revealed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling. According to PLFA indicators, microbial biodiversity as well as bacterial and fungal abundance dropped sharply with the onset of FCRR in fields planted with the cultivar Guelph Millenium. This drop was followed by a similar drop in the arbuscular mycorrhizal population. Biodiversity and microbial population size then increased to finally reach a new equilibrium. Discriminant analysis of PLFA profiles obtained from soil samples also indicated a shift in soil microbial community structure associated with FCRR development in fields planted with the cultivar Jersey Giant. Different soil biological conditions, as indicated by microbial biomass C and N and soil enzyme activities, were associated with different cultivars. Preceding crop, manure application, geographical location and tillage depth also influenced the structure of soil microbial communities in asparagus plantations, as determined by PLFA profiling. If higher FCRR incidence is a consequence of the soil microbial community reorganization, means to reduce FCRR incidence in asparagus plantations may be found among practices such as soil organic fertilization, soil tillage and intercropping strategies that would dilute the negative influence of asparagus on the soil microbial community. Finally, FCRR outbreaks were generally promoted by a previous crop of maize. It seems that maize and asparagus host a F. proliferatum teleomorph (Gibberella fujikoroi) of the same mating type.

• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Acid soils / Agricultural practices / Agricultural soils / Agrology / Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions / animal manures / Asparagus / Asparagus officinalis / Bacteria / Biochemistry and biology / Biodiversity / Biological and medical sciences / Cereal crops / Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties / Community structure / composting / Corn / crop rotation / crown rot / Cultivars / Discriminant analysis / Economic plant physiology / Enzymatic activity / fatty acid composition / Fragaria ananassa / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Fungal plant pathogens / Fusarium / Fusarium fujikuroi / Fusarium proliferatum / Gibberella fujikoroi / Gibberella fujikuroi / Intercropping / lipid composition / Microbial activity / Microbiology / Microorganisms / Organic fertilizers / Pathology, epidemiology, host-fungus relationships. Damages, economic importance / perennials / Phenols / phospholipids / Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils / Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection / Plantations / Plants / Population number / Quebec / rhizosphere / root rot / soil amendments / Soil environment / Soil fungi / Soil microorganisms / Soil science / Soil structure / soil-plant interactions / Soils / strawberries / Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...) / Tillage / Zea mays