VIEW ARTICLE

Disease Control and Pest Management

Biological Control of Pythium Root Rot of Table Beet with Corticium sp.. H. C. Hoch, Assistant and associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456; G. S. Abawi, assistant and associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456. Phytopathology 69:417-419. Accepted for publication 23 October 1978. Copyright 1979 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-417.

An isolate of Corticium sp. was highly effective in controlling preemergence and postemergence damping-off of table beets caused mainly by Pythium ultimum in naturally infested soil. The antagonist was grown first on corn leaf meal (CLM) and then incorporated in soil from a beet field with a history of severe root rot. Damping-off was reduced significantly when CLM colonized with Corticium sp. was incorporated at a rate as low as 0.1% (v/v). However, Corticium sp. was most effective in natural soil at a rate of 5 or 10% (v/v). Effectiveness of Corticium sp. remained high in natural beet soil for as long as 21 days after soil incorporation. This antagonist was equally effective in controlling damping-off disease of table beets at 15, 20, and 25 C in both wet and dry soils.