Resumen
Improved knowledge of the biological phenomenon of soil suppressiveness is critical for the management and biological control of soil-borne pathogens. Andisols, which are located in southern Chile, show very high conduciveness to the take-all disease of wheat caused by the fungal soil-borne pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. However, no previous reports have investigated suppressive soils in this important wheat-producing area. The first part of this study was conducted to identify soils suppressive to the take-all disease, and will be followed by a characterization of its microflora to identify potential bio-control agents against the fungal pathogen. Based on the transferability of suppressiveness into the same sterile soil background, 20 soils were collected from different wheat-growing areas in southern Chile and were classified as either suppressive or conducive to the take-all disease under artificial inoculation in a greenhouse environment. Five soils were found to have highly suppressive properties to the take-all disease of wheat, and suppressiveness was observed in soils with a long history of wheat monoculture. Suppressive and conducive soils were found to have overlapping physicochemical characteristics. This is the first report of soils suppressive to take-all of wheat in Chile