Interaction between microfungi from arable and fallow land soils and Heterobasidion annosum in vitro

Interactions between members of microfungal communities of three arable and two fallow land soils and three P strains of Heterobasidion annosum were investigated in vitro. The effect of soil fungi on the pathogen was evaluated with two methods. In the first, the mycelial growth of H. annosum strains was measured and the experimental data were analysed using statistics. In the second, the biotic series method was used. The differences between the effects of soil fungi dominating in arable and fallow land soils were statistically significant. The microfungal communities of fallow land soils inhibited the growth of the pathogen more than those inhabiting arable soils. Evaluation of suppressive effect of the soil fungi on the pathogen with biotic series method showed also far more negative influence of microfungal communities of fallow land soils on the growth of H. annosum strains. Considering the positive effect of chemical and biological properties of the fallow land soils on the growth of Scots pine and highly suppressive effect of microfungal communities of these soils on the growth of H. annosum observed in the presented study, it may be concluded that arable soils left barren for many years are more beneficial for establishing of Scots pine plantations than cultivated soils.