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Crop Rotation and Minimal Tillage Selectively Affect Maize Growth Promotion under Late Wilt Disease Stress
Ofir Degani1,2, Asaf Gordani1,2, Paz Becher1,2
1Plant Sciences Department, Migal-Galilee Research Institute, Tarshish 2, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel.
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 23, 2022
Summary
Crop rotation with clover and avoiding tillage effectively control maize late wilt disease (LWD). These eco-friendly methods promote plant growth and reduce pathogen spread, offering a sustainable alternative for LWD management.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Pathology
- Soil Science
Background:
- Maize late wilt disease (LWD) poses a significant threat to global maize production, particularly in Israel and Egypt.
- Current LWD control methods, primarily resistant maize genotypes, are challenged by evolving pathogen strains.
- Eco-friendly approaches are sought to minimize environmental impact and health risks associated with LWD management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of crop rotation and reduced tillage in controlling maize late wilt disease (LWD).
- To assess the impact of these agrotechnical practices on soil mycorrhizal networks and disease antagonism.
- To investigate the influence of wheat-maize and clover-maize crop sequences on LWD severity and maize growth.
Main Methods:
- Dual-season study conducted in greenhouse and field settings using a hyper-susceptible maize hybrid (Megaton cv.).
- Crop rotation treatments included wheat-maize and clover-maize sequences under both no-till and tilled soil conditions.
- Evaluated plant weight, height, cob yield, disease impact, and pathogen spread in host tissues.
Main Results:
- In greenhouse trials, clover-maize rotation significantly improved plant weight (1.4-fold), height (1.1-1.2-fold), and cob yield (1.8-2.4-fold), especially in no-till soil.
- Clover-maize sequences demonstrated superior reduction in disease impact (1.7-fold) and pathogen spread (3-fold).
- Field results showed clover-maize rotation yielding the best disease control (2.6-fold increase in healthy plants), with no-till favoring clover's benefits.
Conclusions:
- Crop rotation, particularly with clover, combined with no-till practices, is a highly effective strategy for managing maize late wilt disease.
- Agrotechnical approaches like crop rotation can support beneficial soil mycorrhizal networks, antagonizing the LWD pathogen, *Magnaporthiopsis maydis*.
- While promising, the effectiveness of these methods may be influenced by various factors in commercial field settings.
