The potential for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, cause of fusarium wilt of strawberry, to colonize organic matter in soil and persist through anaerobic soil disinfestation

Abstract

Fusarium wilt of strawberry, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, is a disease of primary concern for strawberry production in many countries. Crop rotation and anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) have gained recent interest for their potential to contribute to management of this disease. Both techniques involve incorporation of organic matter into soil, which may be utilized by strains of Fusarium that are competitive saprophytes. We show that F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae can colonize strawberry, lettuce, raspberry, and broccoli leaf tissues, which are sources of organic matter generated during crop rotation. This pathogen increased in soil population density during ASD treatments that did not become anaerobic, possibly as a result of growth on the organic amendment. However, significant population decreases were observed after ASD treatment when at least 100,000 cumulative reduced mV hours occurred in a 14-day experiment. Post-ASD abundance of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae in soil was negatively correlated with cumulative reduced mV hours. The only treatment that consistently caused disinfestation was exposed to a maximum temperature of 22 °C, which indicates there is potential for developing effective ASD treatments in the cool climates where strawberries are grown. Awareness that F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae can act as a competitive soil saprophyte should be further investigated for its potential to alter disease outcomes where organic amendments are applied.