How does irrigation influence the presence and severity of diseases?

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Publish time: 10th March, 2014      Source: Michigan State University Extension
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Learn tactics to get the most out of irrigation while limiting pathogens that cause disease in vegetable and fruit crops. Register for the upcoming irrigation workshops in Dundee, Frankenmuth or Grand Rapids.

    

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Lina Rodriguez Salamanca, Michigan State University Extension

        

Michigan vegetable and fruit growers can use irrigation systems to fulfill crop water requirements while minimizing the risk of yield loss associated with drought conditions. However, growers should consider the quality, amount and timing of the irrigation that specific crops require at various growth stages.

Sources of irrigation water can harbor plant pathogens. In general, surface water such as rivers, creeks and ponds have a higher likelihood to be contaminated with plant pathogens when compared with water from sealed wells.

Watermolds such Pythium and Phytophthora species can be found in open sources of water and may be capable of causing plant disease. These two types of waterborne pathogens have spores (seeds of the pathogen) that are capable of swimming in water. In fact, at least 26 and 17 different species of Pythium and Phytophthora, respectively, have been documented in irrigation water globally according to “Plant Pathogens in Irrigation Water: Challenges and Opportunities.” These pathogens are well known to cause symptoms like damping off, such as in soybean damping off; foliar blights; and rots of different tissues like roots, crown and fruits (photos below).

Symptoms
Symptoms caused by Phytophthora capsici in (A) foliage, (B) crown and root and (C) fruits of cucurbits.
Photo credit: Mary Hausbeck, MSU

Some plant pathogens can survive in the soil and can also be associated with cull piles of discarded and diseased produce. Surface water can be contaminated by runoff from contaminated fields according to “Characterization of Phytophthora capsici from Michigan Surface Irrigation Water.” By choosing a clean source of water, the risk of introducing plant pathogens carried by the irrigation water to your production fields is decreased.

Water not only plays a role in dispersing waterborne pathogens, but can provide the moisture that favors the infection and disease development of airborne pathogens. In order for disease to occur, a susceptible host, virulent pathogen and favorable environmental conditions are needed. Irrigation provides moisture and leaf wetness so that if spores of the pathogen have landed on a host plant, an irrigation event allows the infection process to begin. As the disease progresses, overhead irrigation can splash disperse pathogens from infected plants to nearby healthy plants, allowing the epidemic to continue to develop in the field.

To summarize, the key factors to consider when using irrigation water include:

  • Quality. Use clean sources of water; well water is best.
  • Amount. Pathogens are favored by water so do not apply more than what is needed by the crop for its growth stage.
  • Timing. Consider current and forecasted environmental conditions and use irrigation scheduling tools.

To learn more about the effect that irrigation water can have on disease development, register for any of Michigan State University Extension’s 2014 Irrigation Workshops, specifically designed for vegetable and fruit growers in Dundee on March 17, Frankenmuth on March 18 and Grand Rapids on March 19.

Onsite registration for workshops will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the program starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. Lunch and materials are included. Restricted use pesticide certification credits will be available through these programs. The registration fee for each workshop is $50 per person payable by March 10; onsite registration is $75. To register for this event and learn more, visit the 2014 Irrigation Workshops Events Management page.  

  

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).