Alleviation of Apple Replant Disease in Sandy Soils by Clay Amendments

authored by

Jessica Schimmel, Norman Gentsch, Jens Boy, Daniel Uteau, Annmarie Deetja Rohr, Traud Winkelmann, Belnaser Busnena, Benye Liu, Jiem Krueger, Stephan Kaufhold, Dieter Rammlmair, Stefan Dultz, Philipp Maurischat, Ludger Beerhues, Georg Guggenberger

Abstract

Purpose: The production of apple fruits in orchards or plants in tree nurseries is negatively affected by apple replant disease (ARD), worldwide. Our objective was to develop a method to counteract ARD without applying chemical soil disinfection. We tested if an addition of clays with high release of plant available silicon reduces ARD symptoms and a biochemical effect of silicon on the plant defence reaction occurs. Methods: In a greenhouse experiment, apple rootstocks ‘M26’ were grown for 8 weeks in a sandy replant soil, a heat disinfected control and a grassland soil (Grass) with and without amendment by bentonite and the clay blend Florisol^®TM Profi (6 and 18%). The micromorphology of silica bodies (phytoliths) in roots and the phytoalexin concentration as a measure of the defence reaction of roots were analysed. In a second approach, the gene expression of ARD biomarkers involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis was determined after two weeks. Results: Normalised gene expression was significantly higher for the ARD soil with clay amendments compared to the ARD variant whereas phytoalexin concentrations were similar. Significantly lower phytoalexin levels were found in the heat disinfected and Grass variant, indicating less defence reaction than in the ARD variant. Clay amendment increased soluble silicon in the substrates and consequently silicon in the epidermis and vascular bundles, indicating high silicon accumulation. Plants grown in ARD and Grass with amendments showed improved growth compared to plants grown in the respective soils without amendments. Conclusion: The amendment of soil by clays rich in plant available silicon may counteract ARD symptoms.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Earth System Sciences
Section Reproduction and Development

External Organisation(s)

University of Kassel
Julius Kühn Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

Type

Article

Journal

Silicon

Volume

16

Pages

4343-4360

No. of pages

18

ISSN

1876-990X

Publication date

07.2024

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-024-03002-y (Access: Open)