Integrated management of Phytophthora capsici on bell pepper by combining grafting and compost treatment

•Management Phytophthora blight of bell pepper relies on IPM methods.•Susceptibility of rootstocks and the combination of grafting with compost was tested.•Some rootstocks resulted in effective reduction of Phytophthora blight of bell pepper.•Compost did not improve disease control provided by grafting of resistant rootstock.•Improved disease control was achieved by combining partially resistant rootstocks and compost.

In 2010 and 2011 an initial set of trials were carried out in order to evaluate the susceptibility of rootstocks used for grafting bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in Italy to Phytophthora capsici, in comparison with widely used cultivars of pepper. In a second set of trials carried out in 2011 and 2012, grafting bell pepper onto resistant or partially resistant rootstock was combined with the use of compost-amended soil, to control Phytophthora blight. Trials were carried out in artificially or naturally infested soil, using five bell pepper cultivars (Fenice, Sienor, San Marco, Fiume, Cuneo) as susceptible not-grafted controls. In three trials, carried out in the presence of soil artificially infested with P. capsici, disease incidence in control plots ranged from 73 to 100% for the cvs. Cuneo and Fiume. Both cvs. Cuneo and Kaiman grafted on “Tecnico F1” rootstock provided complete control of P. capsici. A lower disease control, on the same cultivar, was provided by “Robusto” and “Capsifort”. On the cv. Fiume, “Terrano” provided complete control of the disease. By grafting all cultivars on “Robusto”, “Brutus”, “Snooker” and “Capsifort” a disease reduction by 68%–93%, 86%–100%, 67%–100% and 55%–78%, respectively, was provided. The general linear model analysis showed that for trials carried out under natural infestation the addition of compost to the soil, as well as the interaction of compost-amended soil with grafting, were significant factors influencing disease incidence reduction. The effect of grafting was a significant factor in reducing the percentage of diseased plants in all the trials. The addition of compost to the soil resulted in an effective and low-cost disease management solution, particularly when combined with susceptible not-grafted hybrids of bell pepper or when partially resistant rootstocks were used.