Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2013
Volume 16
Issue 4
Topic:
Horticulture
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Zydlik Z. 2013. EFFECT OF BIOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS ON THE GROWTH OF STRAWBERRIES CULTIVATED IN A SICK SOIL, EJPAU 16(4), #09.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume16/issue4/art-09.html

EFFECT OF BIOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS ON THE GROWTH OF STRAWBERRIES CULTIVATED IN A SICK SOIL

Zofia Zydlik
Department of Pomology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poland

 

ABSTRACT

Studies were carried out in the years 2008–2009 on the area of the Experimental Station of Fruit Growing Department, University of Life Sciences in Poznań. The aim of the studies was an attempt to limit the negative effects of soil replantation disease in the growing of strawberries by using the biological preparation Polyversum WP and the mycorrhizal inoculation. Study results have confirmed the negative influence of replantation disease on the growth of strawberry root system. An improvement of plant root growth was obtained with the use of microbiological preparations. It refers particularly to the mycorrhizal inoculation which, when applied in conditions of replantation disease, has shown both a statistically proven increase of strawberry plant root length and the root neck diameter growth. A well developed root system treated with biological preparations has contributed to a better growth of the plant above ground parts. The surface area of strawberry leaf blades in combination with the application of Polyversum WP preparation and the mycorrhizal inoculation was higher than in plants grown on a replanted soil without the application of the mentioned preparation.

Key words: replantation, soil sickness, root system of strawberry, mycorrhizal inoculation, Polyversum WP .

INTRODUCTION

Replantation frequently leads to soil sickness (soil fatigue) and thereby to a deterioration of the biochemical properties of soil [26]. In result, there follows a limitation of plant growth and yielding [4, 9, 18]. One of the methods of limiting the negative effects of soil fatigue is the utilization of different mechanisms taking place in the nature, like among others, antibiosis and mycorrhiza commonly occurring in the nature. Mycorrhiza in literal translation from Greek language denotes a 'fungus root' and indicates its cohabitation with the cells of vascular plants. In the nature, such cooperation is not an exception, but rather a rule. It is estimated that in natural ecosystems, mycotic fungi colonize 90% of plant roots [17]. Mycotic roots are an important component of the rhyzosphere. Thanks to this fact, the surface of roots increases and plant cells receive greater amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen [2, 24]. Additionally, mycosis increases plant resistance to stress evoked both by biotic factors [3, 11] and abiotic factors [1, 6]. Symbiotic mycotic fungi are particularly useful in environments difficult for vegetation, where plants without mycorrhiza have significantly less chances for survival [13]. The favorable effect of mycorrhiza in the mildewing of stress effects evoked by biotic factors has been shown by Berea et al. [3] and by the application of abiotic factors [1, 6, 19].

The objective of the presented studies was an attempt to limit the negative effects of soil fatigue in a culture of strawberries grown in containers with the use of biological preparations (Polyversum WP preparation and mycorrhiza inoculation).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies were carried out in the years 2008–2009 in the Department of Fruit Growing, University of Life Sciences in Poznań. In that period, strawberries were cultivated each year in two 3-month cycles (spring cycle – plantation of plants o0 n the 20th nr April; summer cycle – plant plantation on the 16th of July). The study material consisted of strawberry seedlings Senga-Sengana cultivar. The seedlings were rooted in rooting rhizo-boxes of 37×18×7 cm dimensions filled with l.7 kg of soil taken from 3 localities:

In each locality, the fallowing combinations were introduced:

Each combination was applied in 5 replications. Plants were cultivated in a period of 3 months using only soil loosening and irrigation) according to the needs.

In order to promote root growth, the transparent walls of the rhizoboxes were positioned in such a way that the transparent walls were inclined towards the earth surface at an angle of 50–60° and they were covered with a thick fibrous material in order to limit the access of light.

After the termination of the cultivation cycle, the strawberry plants were removed from the containers and the root system was swilled out under a water stream with a constant pressure. An estimation of the influence of the locality and the effectiveness of the biological methods of soil fatigue limitation were done on the basis of the following measurements:

 In order to carry out an interpretation of the obtained results, a two-factor, or a three-factor analysis of variance was applied using Duncan`s test at the significance level of α=0.05, where the factors were represented by soil localities treated with combinations of the applied biological preparations and also the terms of plant sampling were taken into consideration. All data contained in this work refer to the mean values from the years 2008–2009.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Soil fatigue is demonstrated by a poor root taking by the successive plants [4], weak and unequal growth [18], a decreased number of root hair and a changed color of roots [22]. The poor growth results from root damages caused by nematodes, Actinomycetes and fungous toxin [10, 14, 21]. The obtained results have confirmed the above statements. Such growth parameters as the length of the root system and its mass, diameter and the mass of strawberry root neck growing in a healthy soil (the so called virgin soil) were significantly higher, in comparison with the growth of plants cultivated in replanted soil (Tab. 1–4). The poorest growth of the root system was found in plants growing on a replanted soil originating from an apple orchard. A slightly better growth was shown by strawberry roots in a locality with a replanted soil in a sour cherry orchard (Tab. l–4). These results confirm the opinions of several authors that apple trees are particularly sensitive to the replantation disease of soil [10, 20].

Table 1. Effect of locality and biological preparations on root length [cm] of strawberry in the years 2008–2009
 
Lp.
Locality
Biological preparations
Mean
Control
Polyversum WP
Mycorrhizal inoculation
1.
Soil no fatigue – after agricultural plants
48.3 e*
38.6 a–c
43.0 c–e
43.3 b
2.
Soil fatigue from apple orchards after second replantation
36.3 ab
37.5 a–c
41.9 c–d
38.6 a
3.
Soil fatigue from a 30-year old sour cherry orchards
40.6 b–d
34.9 a
45.1 d–e
40.2 a
Mean
41.7 b
37.0 a
43.3 b
*Means marked with the same letter do not differ significantly (α=0.05), Duncan`s t-test.

Table 2. Effect of locality and biological preparations on root system mass [g] of strawberry in the years 2008–2009
 
Lp.
Locality
Biological preparations
Mean
Control
Polyversum WP
Mycorrhizal inoculation
1.
Soil no fatigue – after agricultural plants
14.3 d*
6.9 b
11.5 c
10.9 c
2.
Soil fatigue from apple orchards after second replantation
4.8 a
5.9 ab
9.8 c
6.9 a
3.
Soil fatigue from a 30-year old sour cherry orchards
7.5 b
7.6 b
10.9 c
8.7 b
Mean
8.9 b
6.8 a
10.8 c
*Means marked with the same letter do not differ significantly (α=0.05), Duncan`s t-test.

Table 3. Effect of locality and biological preparations on root neck diameter [mm] of strawberry in the years 2008–2009
 
Lp.
Locality
Biological preparations
Mean
Control
Polyversum WP
Mycorrhizal inoculation
1.
Soil no fatigue – after agricultural plants
12.8 ab*
10.2 a
13.4 b
12.1 a
2.
Soil fatigue from apple orchards after second replantation
10.3 a
11.5 ab
11.7 ab
11.2 a
3.
Soil fatigue from a 30-year old sour cherry orchards
11.6 ab
11.3 ab
11.3 ab
11.4 a
Mean
11.5 a
11.0 a
12.1 a
*Means marked with the same letter do not differ significantly (α=0.05), Duncan`s t-test.

Table 4. Effect of locality and biological preparations on root neck mass [g] of strawberry in the years 2008–2009
 
Lp.
Locality
Biological preparations
Mean
Control
Polyversum WP
Mycorrhizal inoculation
1.
Soil no fatigue – after agricultural plants
6.2 e*
3.2 ab
4.5 d
4.6 a
2.
Soil fatigue from apple orchards after second replantation
2.8 a
4.0 b–d
5.8 e
4.2 a
3.
Soil fatigue from a 30-year old sour cherry orchards
3.5 a–c
4.3 cd
5.3 e
4.4 a
Mean
4.2 a
3.8 a
5.2 b
*Means marked with the same letter do not differ significantly (α=0.05), Duncan`s t-test.

The obtained results did not show any positive effect of the applied preparations on the growth of the root system of strawberries grown on a healthy soil. After the application of the Polyversum WP preparation, worse parameters of plant growth were obtained than in the control combination, where no biological preparations were applied (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Effect of  biological preparation on the growth parameters of  the root system of strawberry planting on the  no fatigue soil (after agricultural plants) in the years 2008–2009

Fig. 2. Effect of  biological preparation on the growth parameters of the root system of strawberry planting on the fatigue soil from apple orchard after second replantation in the years 2008–2009

The application of the mycorrhizal inoculation to soil with fatigue phenomena has shown a statistically confirmed improvement in the root system growth in the strawberry plants. In conditions of replantation disease occurrence, the majority of plants, where the mycorrhizal inoculation was applied to the root, the root system was better than in the combination without that treatment. An exception was the diameter of the root neck which in plants treated with the mycotic inoculation did not differ significantly, in comparison with a combination without biological preparation treatment (Fig. 2–3). The application of Polyversum WP preparation to a sick soil originating from an apple orchard after a second replantation contributed to an improvement of the root system growth in strawberries, but the differences were not statistically significant, with the exception of the root neck (Tab. 1–4). The same preparation applied to plants planted in a sick soil originating from a sour cherry orchard did not bring any improvement in the root system of strawberry plants (Tab. 1–4). A probable reason of no positive results of Polyversum WP preparation application was the fact that it was applied only once, therefore, it would be advisable to repeat the treatments twice or even three times in the season.

Fig. 3. Effect of  biological preparations on the growth parameters of  the root system of strawberry planting on the fatigue soil from a 30-year old sour cherry orchard in the years 2008–2009

The favorable effect of biological preparations on the growth of strawberry plant roots was most clearly visible in a soil originating from an apple orchard. A particular attention is deserved by the action of the mycorrhizal inoculation. The root system of strawberries soaked in this preparation showed a twice higher root mass and root neck mass than the control combination not treated with any preparations (Tab. 2–3). A positive effect of the mycorrhizal inoculation on the improvement of growth and the number of plants roots find a confirmation in the results reported by many authors [7, 12, 15, 23]. The positive results may follow from the fact that mycorrhizal fungi improve the uptake of water and mineral salts from the soil by decreasing the absorptive surface area of mycorrhizal roots [5].

The replantation disease of soil causes a worse growth of the root system of plants limiting thereby the growth of the above-ground parts of plants. One of the features characterizing the vegetative growth of strawberries is the surface area of leaves. In present experiment, in a combination with replanted soil, the leaf area was significantly smaller (75.9 and 99.2 cm2) than in plants growing in a soil without soil fatigue – 145.6 cm2 (Tab. 5).

Table 5. Effect of locality and biological preparations on leaf area [cm2] of strawberry in the years 2008–2009
 
Lp.

Locality

Biological preparations

Mean

Control

Polyversum WP

Mycorrhizal inoculation

1.

Soil no fatigue – after agricultural plants

145.6 d*

121.3 c

127.7 c

131.6 c

2.

Soil fatigue from apple orchards after second replantation

73.9 a

95.7 b

118.5 c

96.0 a

3.

Soil fatigue from a 30-year old sour cherry orchards

99.2 b

102.0 b

120.2 c

107.1 b

Mean

106.2 a

106.4 a

122.1 b

 

*Means marked with the same letter do not differ significantly (α=0.05), Duncan`s t-test.

The decrease of the leaf surface area in plants grown on a replanted soil had been confirmed by the results obtained by Pacholak and Zydlik [16]. An opposite opinion was reported by Borkowska and Krzewińska [8], who did not find any differences in the leaf surface area in plants treated with mycorrhizal inoculation and in the not treated plants in the second year after inoculation.

The application in the experiment of biological preparations in conditions of replantation disease occurrence caused a distinct increase of the leaf surface area in strawberries. Also in this case, the best result was obtained after the application of the mycorrhizal inoculation. The application of mycorrhizal inoculation during the plantation of plants contributed during the plantation of plants contributed to the increase of the surface area of strawberry leaves. In the combination, where the plants were planted in a exhausted soil originating from an apple orchard, the leaf surface area amounted to 73.9 cm2. The application of mycorrhizal inoculation increased the mean surface area of leaves to 118.6 cm2. Similar results were obtained in plants planted in exhausted soil originating from an old sour cherry orchard.

Next to the earlier utilization of the soil, also the term of plantation exerts an inf1uence on the root growth in strawberry plants. The majority of parameters characterizing the plant growth, which includes the root length and mass as well as the mass of plant root neck in plants planted in spring, usually were higher, in comparison with the results obtained in the summer term of plantation (Fig. 1–3). Among the studied parameters of the root system growth, the diameter of strawberry plant root neck is an exception because it was higher than in planted in the spring. A better growth of the root system of strawberry seedlings planted in the spring was reported by Zydlik and Pacholak [25].

The obtained results of studies indicate the favorable effect of the biological preparations utilized in the experiment, and particularly the effect of the mycorrhizal inoculation exerted on the growth of strawberry plants in conditions of the applied preventive measures against the replantation disease of the soil. This may be a confirmation of the usefulness of such treatments in the limitation of soil fatigue consequences.

CONCLUSIONS

  1. It was found that the method of the preceding utilization of the soil exerts an essential effect on the growth of the strawberry plant root system. The best developed roots were shown by plants planted in the soil which was earlier used for agricultural purposes and did not reveal any symptoms of soil fatigue. The worst developed roots were found in strawberry plants grown in a soil after the second replantation of an apple orchard.
  2. The application of mycorrhizal inoculation during strawberry plants plantation on a replanted soil caused the growth of root length and an increase of the root neck diameter. The effect of the Polyversum WP preparation on these parameters was less significant.
  3. Strawberry plants grown in a soil with soil fatigue symptoms, where biological preparations were applied, were characterized by a greater area of leaf blades.
  4. Strawberry planted in the spring term had a better developed root system, in comparison with strawberries planted in summer. However, a statistical analysis did not confirm the significance of differences in this case.
  5. The application of the mycorrhizal inoculation during plant plantation run contribute to the mildening of soil fatigue symptoms during the first years of cultivation.

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Accepted for print: 19.12.2013
Zofia Zydlik
Department of Pomology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poland
ul. D±browskiego 159
60-594 Poznań, Poland
email: zydlik@au.poznan.pl

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