| This project going to be… | Experimental (lab/field based) |
| Email | helen.rees@sruc.ac.uk |
| Position held | Post-doctoral Researcher/Lecturer in Crop Protection |
| Title of Project | Cover crops for disease suppression in barley. |
| Institution Department and Address | Peter Wilson Building, King’s Buildings, West Mains Rd |
| Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JG |
| United Kingdom |
| Full Name of Supervisor | Helen Rees |
| Date of Project Commencement | 01/06/2023 |
| Duration (weeks) | 10 |
| Brief Description of Project | Cover crops have a wide range of benefits for the soil and following crops. Previous research has highlighted the effect of cover crops on soil nutrition, soil structure, reducing soil erosion and nutrient losses. More recently, studies have also indicated that cover crops can play an important role in disease suppression. In order to establish the potential of cover crops to be incorporated into UK arable systems SRUC has established field trials to research the interaction between cover crops and soil borne pathogens. Trials are testing three species of cover crop (vetch, oil seed radish and mustard) against a fallow treatment. The cover crops are also being trialled under two tillage regimes (conventional or minimum tillage). Cover crops are autumn sown and followed by a spring barley crop. This project will make use of these established field trials to investigate the role of cover crops and tillage regimes for the management of important soilborne diseases, such as Fusarium spp., Microdochium spp., Cephalosporium graminearum and other soil pathogens. Disease assessments, plant growth measurements and SPAD readings will be conducted in the field and samples will be collected for isolation and identification of diseases, using conventional and molecular methods. Data collected will be statistically analysed to understand the role tillage regime and cover crops play in soilborne disease management for barley crops. The project will provide experience in working with field trials and training in laboratory techniques for disease identification through isolation and molecular diagnostics (DNA extractions and PCR). |
| Attach the recommended reading for the project |
| Deng, X., Zhang, N., Shen, Z., Zhu, C., Liu, H., Xu, Z., Li, R., Shen, Q. and Salles, J.F., 2021. Soil microbiome manipulation triggers direct and possible indirect suppression against Ralstonia solanacearum and Fusarium oxysporum. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 7(1), p.33. |
| Panth, M., Baysal-Gurel, F., Simmons, T., Addesso, K.M. and Witcher, A., 2020. Impact of winter cover crop usage in soilborne disease suppressiveness in woody ornamental production system. Agronomy, 10(7), p.995. |
| Wallace, 2012. Cover Crops for Disease Suppression. Canadian Organic Growers. Available at: https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/faculty/agriculture/oacc/en/tcog/TCOG_2012_Cover_Crops.pdf |
| Wegulo, S.N., Baenziger, P.S., Nopsa, J.H., Bockus, W.W. and Hallen-Adams, H., 2015. Management of Fusarium head blight of wheat and barley. Crop Protection, 73, pp.100-107. |
| Wen, L., Lee-Marzano, S., Ortiz-Ribbing, L.M., Gruver, J., Hartman, G.L. and Eastburn, D.M., 2017. Suppression of soilborne diseases of soybean with cover crops. Plant disease, 101(11), pp.1918-1928. |
