Occurrence of antagonistic fungi in the soil after cover crops cultivation

Abstract

The purpose of the studies was to determine the species composition of fungi and their antagonistic effect towards soil-borne plant pathogens after the cultivation of oats, spring vetch and tansy phacelia as intercrop cover plants. The total population of fungi in the soil after the cultivation of oats was twice as low as after the cultivation of tansy phacelia. A little smaller fungi population was obtained as a result of mulching the soil with spring vetch in comparison to that after the cultivation of tansy phacelia. The proportion of Fusarium spp., Alternaria alternata, Pythium irregulare and Thanatephorus cucumeris isolated from the soil after the cultivation of oats was the lowest one, while being a little higher after the cultivation of spring vetch, and the highest after tansy phacelia. The greatest number of antagonistic fungi occurred in the soil after ploughing in the mulch of oats. Antagonistic fungi isolated from the soil mulched with oats were the most effective in limiting the growth and development of A. alternata, Fusarium culmorum, F. oxysporum, Haematonectria haematococca, P. irregulare and T. cucumeris since the value of their antagonistic effect was the largest. The lowest antagonistic activity of fungi was found out after using tancy phacelia.