EFFECTS OF COMPOSTED ORGANIC KITCHEN AND GARDEN WASTE ON MYCOSPHAERELLA-PINODES (BERK AND BLOX) VESTERGR, CAUSAL ORGANISM OF FOOT ROT ON PEAS (PISUM-SATIVUM L)

The effect of composted organic household waste (shown to be suppressi ve towards soilborne plant pathogens) on the seedborne pathogen M. pin odes was evaluated in pot experiments. Artificially inoculated pea see ds were used which contained a defined number of spores per surface ar ea with a suspension of 1+ 10(6) spores/mi in distilled water. Rate of emergence, fresh matter and lesions of epicotyl and hypocotyl were ev aluated. Two sterilized growing media (sand or loam) amended with comp ost or light sphagnum peat suppressed the pathogen. 10%, 30% of compos t and 30% of peat increased the fresh matter 67%, 130% and 54% respect ively in sand compared to the untreated control. These results were si milar in steamed loam, only peat showed a higher yield (108%). The res ults demonstrate the suppressiveness of composts and peat against seed -borne fungi. This effect was not observed in non-sterilized media (lo am only).