Enhancement of soil suppressive potential to bacterial wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum

Abstract

The effect of wheat and maize rotations and the application of plant-animal compost on potato bacterial wilt and yield was investigated. The proposed method was tested in three separate locations, each two acres in size, with an untreated control. The first two were naturally infested, but the third was pathogen-free. Infested locations that had been treated experienced a significant reduction in disease incidence. The addition of a bio-fertilizer mixture (Azotobacter sp., Azospirillum sp., Bacillus megaterium, and Bacillus circulans) improved the compost’s suppressive potential. The method increased soil organic matter (SOM), N, P, K, Ca⁺², and Mg⁺² while decreasing Na⁺ levels and increasing potato yield. The relative abundance of Ralstonia decreased while that of Arthrobacter, Streptomyces, and Nocardioides increased. The presence of Gracilibacillus, Cellvibrio, Bacillus, and Paenibacillus was associated with a decrease in Ralstonia, whereas the presence of Propionibacterium (a nitrogen-fixing bacteria) was associated with an increase in Ralstonia.

Keywords:

• Ralstonia solanacearum
• soil health indicators
• soil suppressiveness
• soil conduciveness
• crop rotation
• antagonistic potential

Acknowledgments

This research work was done within the framework of the proposed project “Rehabilitation of Nile Valley and Delta to produce brown rot-free potato qualified for exportation” and funded by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STIFA27859), Egyptian Ministry for Scientific Research. Unlimited thanks are given to the staff for the funding and cooperation provided.

Authors’ contributions

All authors have accepted the final version of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data and material used during the current study are available from the author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The study was carried out as part of the "Rehabilitation of Nile Valley and Delta to produce brown rot-free potato suitable for exportation" project, which was funded by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority [STIFA27859] of the Egyptian Ministry of Scientific Research.