Effect of composted cattle manure and separated hog slurry solids on potato early dying and potato yield and tuber quality in Manitoba
O. I. MOLINA (1), M. Tenuta (1), F. Daayf (1). (1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Potato early dying (PED) is a major constraint to potato production in North America. The major causal agent to this disease is the fungus <i>Verticillium dahliae</i>. Our previous studies showed composted cattle manure in Manitoba, Canada, have resulted in reduction in soil inoculums densities, delayed wilt of the crop and improved late tuber bulking and yield. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of different rates (20, 40 and 80 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>) of composted cattle manure (CCM) and separated hog slurry solids (CSHSS) on <i>V. dahliae</i> densities in soil, disease severity and incidence, tuber yield, and soil nutrients. The effect of the composted materials was compared with those of different rates (40 and 60 gal acre<sup>-1</sup>) of the soil fumigant-Vapam, inorganic fertilizer and an untreated control, in two experiments planted to Russet Burbank and Norland, respectively. Each experiment was replicated three times in different potato commercial fields. In the russet trials, disease was lower with composted, fumigated and fertilized treatments compared to the control. Incidence was reduced with fumigation (40 and 60 gal acre<sup>-1</sup>) and CSHSS 80 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>, in russets and Norland by 2 and 3 fold, respectively. Compared to the control, only Vapam 40 gal acre<sup>-1</sup> increased Russet and Norland yields 15 and 10%, respectively. Based on initial findings, application of Vapam (40 gal) increased tuber yield, and reduced disease severity and incidence, and inoculum of <i>V. dahliae</i>.
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