RNGR.net is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry and is a colloborative effort between these two agencies.

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Extension Forestry Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Home → Publications → Seed and Seedling Diseases in the Western US → Effects of Brassica Cover Crop, Organic Amendment, Fallowing, and Soil Fumigation on Production of Bareroot Douglas-Fir Seedlings-USDA Forest Service Nursery, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho

Effects of Brassica Cover Crop, Organic Amendment, Fallowing, and Soil Fumigation on Production of Bareroot Douglas-Fir Seedlings-USDA Forest Service Nursery, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho

Effects of incorporating a Brassica hirta cover crop and com posted municipal sewage sludge into soil were compared with fallowing soil and dazomet fumigation on production of Douglas-fir seedlings at the USDA Forest Service Nursery in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Soil was treated one growing season before sowing. Incorporating Brassica into soil was ineffective in controlling root disease and resulted in higher numbers of potentially pathogenic fungi, greater disease, and reduced seedling density and quality. Seedling production with fumigation was similar to fallowing and composted sewage sludge treatments. Sludge treatments added more organic matter to soil without resulting in higher disease levels or reduced seedling quality. Fallowing reduced soil populations of potentially pathogenic fungi; seedlings produced in fallowed fields were of similar quality to those grown in fumigated soil. Fusarium oxysporum was the most commonly isolated Fusarium spp. from soil and roots of diseased and healthy seedlings. Producing high-quality Douglas-fir seedlings is possible without chemical soil fumigation.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 3477Kb

Details

Author(s): USDA Forest Service