When the oxygen supply to 4-week-old bean seedling roots was reduced for 24, 48, or 72 hours in soil infested with Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, root and top yields were reduced.  Furthermore, root penetration of a compacted subsurface soil layer was reduced by the temporary poor aeration.  In contrast, in fumigated pathogen-free soil, the same aeration treatments did not affect plant top and root growth.  When plants were exposed for 2 days to a soil-atmosphere mixture of 10% O₂, 10% CO₂, and 80% N₂ in Fusarium-infested soil, greater plant growth resulted than with air.

Additional key words: Phaseolus vulgaris L., soil compaction, root impedance.