Repeated Applications of a Nonpathogenic Streptomyces Strain Enhance Development of Suppressiveness to Potato Common Scab

Summary

Potato scab caused by several Streptomyces spp. is an important disease with no effective methods of control. Suppressiveness against common scab can develop in soil as a result of long-term monoculture and has been associated with nonpathogenic Streptomyces spp. To determine whether the development of scab suppressiveness could be enhanced, the effect of repeated antagonist Streptomyces strain on common scab was investigated in a long-term field trial over 5 years. Streptomyces strain 272 applied annually at planting consistently suppressed development of common scab symptoms. On scab-susceptible potato cultivar Bintje, strain 272 reduced disease severity, on average, by 43 %; whereas, on the scab-tolerant Nicola, the strain reduced both disease incidence and severity, by 43 and 59%, respectively. Regardless of disease pressure, the combined use of strain 272 and the tolerant cultivar reduced the scab coverage to a negligible level. After a single application of strain 272, efficient disease suppression did not persist in the soil to the following growing season. However, when strain 272 was applied in three or more consecutive years, the soil remained suppressive to scab for at least 2 years beyond the last application, suggesting that, with repeated applications, it may be possible to enhance development of scab suppression in soil. Organic potato cultivation is based on the natural suppressiveness of plant diseases instead of using chemical pesticides.