Biocontrol of the toxigenic plant pathogen Fusarium culmorum by soil fauna in an agroecosystem

AbstractIn 2011 and 2013, a field experiment was conducted in a winter wheat field at Adenstedt (northern Germany) to investigate biocontrol and interaction effects of important members of the soil food web (Lumbricus terrestris, Annelida;Folsomia candida, Collembola andAphelenchoides saprophilus, Nematoda) on the phytopathogenic fungusFusarium culmorum in wheat straw. Therefore, soil fauna was introduced in mesocosms in defined numbers and combinations and exposed to eitherFusarium-infected or non-infected wheat straw.L. terrestris was introduced in all faunal treatments and combined either withF. candida orA. saprophilus or both. Mesocosms filled with a Luvisol soil, a cover of different types of wheat straw and respective combinations of faunal species were established outdoors in the topsoil of a winter wheat field after harvest of the crop. After a time span of 4 and 8  weeks, the degree of wheat straw coverage of mesocosms was quantified to assess its attractiveness for the soil fauna. The content ofFusarium biomass in residual wheat straw and soil was determined using a double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA method. In both experimental years, the infected wheat straw was incorporated more efficiently into the soil than the non-infected control straw due to the presence ofL. terrestris in all faunal treatments than the non-infected control straw. In addition,Fusarium biomass was reduced significantly in all treatments after 4  weeks (2011: 95–99%; 2013:15–54%), whe...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - Category: Toxicology Source Type: research