Diversity of Root Fungal Floras: Its Implications for Soil-Borne Diseases and Crop Growth

Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly
ISSN 00213551
NII recode ID (NCID) AA0068709X
Full text

Application of organic materials such as farmyard manure and crop residues to upland fields promoted root growth of crops and enhanced activities of nutrient uptake, resulting in an yield increase in five crops examined. Root fungal floras were diversified by the application of organic materials and the Brillouin’s index of the diversity was positively correlated with the root biomass in all the crops. Continuous mono-cropping made the root fungal floras less diverse and the indices of diversity were smaller in the crops that were less tolerant against that type of cropping. The simplified floras of root fungi under continuous mono-cropping significantly corresponded to the fungal floras on the residual roots of the preceding crop. The simplification of root fungal floras resulted from less provisions of organic materials. Incidences of brown stem rot of adzuki beans caused by Acremonium gregatum were reduced by applying organic materials to the rhizosphere. This method is proposed for a practical use with the purpose of minimizing the rate of organic materials. The indices of diversity in root fungal floras were correlated negatively with the disease incidences. Diversification of root floras seems to enhance microbiostasis in the rhizosphere, whereby soil-borne diseases are suppressed and crop root growth is promoted. The critical role of organic materials applied is clearly revealed in maintaining biological fertility of soils, particularly in upland farming, where an incidence of soil-borne diseases in a major constraint to crop production.

Date of issued
Creator Tsuneo NITTA
Available Online
NII resource type vocabulary Journal Article
Volume 25
Issue 1
spage 6
epage 11
Language eng

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