By Leonor Leandro, Professor Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, ISU

Co-Project Investigators: 

• Santanu Bakshi, Bioeconomy Institute
• Lisa Schulte Moore, Bioeconomy Institute, Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Project Summary

In this project, we are proposing to determine if soil amended with coproducts from the biofuel industry, namely biochar and digestate, can suppress soybean diseases caused by soilborne pathogens. We will focus our research on the pathogens that cause soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) and soybean root rot (SRR) due to their economic importance and their soilborne nature. 

Biochar produced from woody biomass (pine) and agricultural residue (corn stover) under autothermal (air-blown) pyrolysis condition, will be obtained from Dr. Bakshi’s program. Biochars for this study are selected to represent contrasting pH, total carbon and ash diversity. Solid digestate batches will be obtained from the C-Change Grass2Gas project, directed by Dr. Schulte Moore. 

We will conduct greenhouse studies where soybeans will be grown in soil amended with biochar and digestate at different rates, in the presence and absence of the pathogens. Unamended soil will be used as controls. Plants will be assessed for growth and disease severity 4-6 weeks after planting. The initial experiments will use pasteurized soil to allow for more control of the interaction of the coproducts with the pathogens. Experiments will then progress to using natural field soil to more closely resemble the interactions that occur on farmer fields. 

We will also leverage an existing field trial with digestate applications (Dr. Schulte-Moore’s program) to collect observational data on the impact of these soil amendments in naturally occurring soybean diseases. We will visit the fields during the cropping season to rate foliar and stem diseases and we will collect plant samples to assess root disease. Field data on the effect of biochar on soybean diseases will be collected from a field trial newly established in Fall 2023 under Dr. Leandro’s or Dr. Bakshi’s program.
 

(2-year project funded fall 2023)