Combining small-effect treatments enhances

non-chemical disease control and yield of vegetables

BACKMAN, P.A.1, M. Orzolek2, W. Lamont2, C. Dorman1 and N. Conrad1
The Pennsylvania State University, 1Dept. Plant Pathology, and 2Dept. Of Horticulture, University Park, PA 16802
Introduction

Results

Biological control treatments typically are not as effective as organic chemical treatments
for management of crop diseases. Similarly, fertilizers based on phosphorous or silicon
have been demonstrated to suppress but not control diseases. These types of alternative
disease control strategies are much needed by the organic vegetable industry to manage
disease and produce quality productsbut, reliability of alternative treatments must be
improved. A series of studies were conducted on several vegetable crops in 2002 to
determine if combinations of these strategies would enhance control beyond those
observed with individual treatments. The effort was focused on achieving levels of control
and yields equivalent to chemical control practices. BioYield with demonstrated ability to
control pathogens by antagonism and host induced resistance was paired with silicon and
phosphorous acid treatments that suppress disease by several mechanisms. The objective
was to integrate multiple small-effect strategies to produce levels of plant disease control
equivalent to those achieved with organic pesticides.

Four to six weeks after seeding, and before transplanting, there were differences in growth
among treatments for all vegetables tested. Enhanced growth was observed in media
amendments containing root inoculating bacteria, but not for those receiving silicon. Prior
to transplanting, there was no visible pathology observed on plants in any treatment.

After 4-6 weeks, broccoli and squash were transplanted into high-tunnel plastic houses in
hills or rows as shown in Figs. 1 & 2. Treatments were replicated 6 times in a randomized
complete block design, and 3 of the 6 replications were treated with pHortress. BP24a was
applied at log 7/ml of spray solution at 240-500 L/ha. The pHortress fertilizer was
applied as a foliar spray at 4L/ha (product) on a 2-week schedule. Similarly, tomato and
cucumbers were planted into black mulch-covered, bedded rows and treated with
pHortress or BP24a as before.
Tomatoes were evaluated for early blight and bacterial blight severity as the season
progressed, while squash were evaluated for anthracnose and powdery mildew. Plant
growth and disease severities were evaluated at regular intervals during the season, and
produce harvested as the crops matured. All trials received supplemental irrigation to
maintain optimal plant growth. For all trials, the summer of 2002 was hot and dry, and
disease was slow to develop. Due to early onset of winter conditions, squash were not
harvested. Data were analyzed using SAS.

Disease Rating (1-5)

3.5
3
2.5

No Treatments
BP24 only
pHortress Only
pHortress +BP24
BioYield +BP +pH
AgroPro ZX +BP +pH

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
9/20

9/23

9/26

9/29

20

9000
None
BY
Si
By + Si
ZX

8000
7000
6000
5000

None
BY
Si
BY + Si
None + BP24
BY + BP24
BY + BP24 + Si

15

10

Figure 4: Mountain Spring

tomatoes showing effects of
bacterial wilt, as well as
treatment differences induced
primarily by pHortress

4000
Figure 3. Yield response of broccoli to biocontrol
agents and fertilizers in the absence of disease

0
Bravo

Bravo / pH (Alt)

Figure 6. Effect of biological control agents and

fertilizers used alone and in combinations on severity of
bacterial wilt of tomatoes

Figure 8. Yield Response of Tomato to Biological Control Treatments & Combinations

40000
35000

Early Blight Severity (1-5)

Bravo
Bravo / pH

3
2.8

30000

2.6

25000

2.4

20000

None
BY
Si
BY + Si
None + BP2Y
BY + BP24
BY + BP + Si

2.2

4+
S

Y+
BP
2

Y+
Si
B

Y+
BP
2

Si

P2
4
B

no
ne

1.6

Treatments

Discussion and Conclusions

Contacts:
Paul Backman, Dept. Plant Pathology, 221 Buckhout Laboratory, Penn State University, PA
Email: pbackman@psu.edu, Phone: 814-865-6687

10/8

10000

1.8

Figure 2: Butternut squash at early

bloom, and just prior to powdery
mildew onset. Minor differences in
plant growth are still observable.

10/5

25

15000

Figure 1: Broccoli just prior to harvest with little

apparent disease but providing 20-30 percent
yield responses.

10/2

Date

Figure 5. Disease progress curves for powdery mildew

of squash as affected by biological control agents and
fertilizers and their combinations.

Bacterial Wilt Severity (# Diseased Plants)

Broccoli Yields kg/ha

kg/A

A root inoculating bacterial preparation (BY, BioYield Concentrate from Gustafson, Inc.
(a mixture of Paenobacillus macerans and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens*) was used alone
and in combination with two fertilizer treatments (Calcium silicate (Si)** and pHortress
(pH)*** (0-37-25) foliar-applied fertilizer) and a foliage-inhabiting Bacillus cereus (BP24a). The root inoculating bacteria were incorporated into a peat based media mix (Scotts
Redi-Earth) used for seeding and growing transplants. Similarly, the calcium silicate was
mixed with the media, following which media were seeded into 90ml Cone-tainers.

Typically, growth differences observed in the greenhouse were not observed at significant
levels beyond one month after transplanting. Diseases developed strongly in tomatoes
(Figs. 4, 6, & 7) and squash (Fig. 5). Broccoli developed no observable diseases, yet
exhibited large yield increases (Fig. 3). A second trial conducted in (2003) on broccoli,
provided an 18% yield improvement with BioYield, a 4.5% increase with ZX, and a 11%
increase with silicon. Addition of the foliage biocontrol agent BP24 added 11% to BY
yields, and 17% to ZX yields. Significant effects on tomato early blight (Alternaria solani,
Fig. 7), bacterial wilt (Clavibacter michiganense, Fig. 6) and on yield (Fig. 8), were
observed on tomatos treated with either BioYield, silicon or pHortress and their
combinations. Strong yield increases of 10-30% were detected on most crops with the
use of BioYield, calcium silicate, or pHortress foliar fertilizer, Additive benefits from
treatment combinations were most often found where disease was severe.

Yield Kg/Ha

Methods

5
4.5

Results demonstrated two very different responses in treated vegetables. The first was that
yields could be greatly affected with little or no apparent disease (broccoli, Fig. 3). This
could have been due to chronic undetected diseases, deleterious rhizobacteria or changes in
fertility. Squash and tomato both responded with improved disease control. When treated
with two or more products. For powdery mildew in squash, the effects of pHortress on this
largely external disease were large and additive to effects by root-applied biocontrol agents
(BY and ZX) and to the foliage applied biocontrol agent (BP-24a). Similarly, levels of
early blight and bacterial wilt in tomatoes (Figs. 6 & 7) were both suppressed by individual
and combination therapies. Combinations produced highest levels of disease control and
highest yields of tomato fruits (Fig. 8). Research continues on finding appropriate
combination therapies that will maximize both disease control and yield.

1.4
1.2
1
Bravo

Bravo/pH Alt.

Figure 7. Effect of biological control agents and

fertilizers used alone and in combinations on severity of
early blight in tomatoes

Footnotes
*Applied at ~2kg of BioYield Concentrate per m3 of Scotts Redi-Earth for all vegetables except
tomato, which was treated with a 4 kg/m3 rate.
**Calcium silicate (Calcium Silicate Corp. Lake Harbor, FL) was applied at a rate of 5kg per m3
of media mix.
***pHortress flowable foliar fertilizer (Western Farm Service, Fresno, CA) 0-37-25 containing
0.2% Mn and Zn.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to recognize the important contributions of Mr. Mike Miller and the
Lewisburg Federal Prison and its ICC Camp for providing land and manpower for the vegetable
trials.
We also recognize with thanks, the financial support of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers
Association