Influence of nutrition on disease development caused by fungal pathogens: implications for plant disease control

Abstract

A great deal of information is available in the literature on the effects of nutrition on disease development in plants and crops. However, much of this information is contradictory and although it is widely recognised that nutrition can influence disease in crops, limited progress has been made in the manipulation of crop nutrition to enhance disease control. Achieving this aim requires a sound understanding of the effects of fertilisation on nutrient levels and availability in crop tissues, and in turn, how the nutrient status of such tissues influences pathogen infection, colonisation and sporulation. Some of these details are known for a number of crop plants under controlled conditions, but very little of this type of information is available for crops under field conditions. This review focuses on nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, potassium and silicon, examines the availability of these nutrients in plant tissues to support pathogen growth and development, and reviews the effects of the different nutrients on disease development. The review also examines the potential for manipulating crop nutrition to enhance disease control in conventional and organic cropping systems.

Synergism of Nitrogen Rate and Foliar Fungicides in Soft Red Winter Wheat

“…This result contrasted with similar comparisons in the literature; several have reported high concentrations of N in the canopy favored leaf rust (Walters and Bingham, 2007), powdery mildew (Olesen et al, 2003a), and septoria (Howard et al, 1994; Lovell et al, Table 10. UTC, untreated check no fungicide; T3, fungicide at Zadoks Growth Stage (GS) 65; T123, fungicide at approximately GS 30, GS 39, and GS 65.…”

“…This was a synergistic response to high N and fungicide because the response was greater than the sum of responses for a high N rate (170 vs. 100) and inclusion of fungicides (no fungicide vs. three applications), or 0.48 and 0.67 Mg ha -1 , respectively. The synergism between N and fungicide has been reported in the literature, but the synergistic yield improvements have not been as great or consistent as those presented in this study, and most are reported from environments that traditionally practice intensive wheat management (Ruske et al, 2003a;Olesen et al 2000;Walters and Bingham, 2007;Delin et al 2008). In contrast, Olesen et al (2003b) reported yield increases with N rates and fungicide applications, but the study did not show any interaction between N application rate and fungicide.…”

“…Data across cultivars from this study and in other environments with more intensive management (Europe) shows further research is needed to investigate differential varietal responses of N and fungicide interactions. In contrast to N, where high rates of N tended to promote disease in the canopy, others have reported deficiencies of other nutrients to increase disease, such as P, K, and S (Walters and Bingham, 2007).…”

“…However, Olesen et al (2003a) in Denmark reported no correlation between N rate and septoria. Higher rates of N tend to produce larger canopies that provide more favorable environments for pathogenic infection (Walters and Bingham, 2007). Yield reductions have been reported when diseases are not controlled through reduced photosynthesis, reduced translocation of N from storage reserves (Agrios, 1988;Ruske et al, 2003b), and reduced root uptake of N (Delin et al, 2008).…”

Amino Acid Homeostasis Modulates Salicylic Acid–Associated Redox Status and Defense Responses inArabidopsis

“…However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the central metabolic aspects of plant-pathogen interactions are poorly understood. Nitrogen (N) metabolism is a case in point now that available data for the role of N in disease appear rudimentary and even contradictory in most cases (Solomon et al, 2003;Walters and Bingham, 2007). The competition for a N source between the pathogen and its host is a dynamic and complex process.…”