Effect of Green Manure Crop Cultivation on Soil Chemical Properties and Root Rot Disease in Continuous Cropping Field of Ginseng
Background: Some plants have harmful effects on fungi and bacteria as well as other plants. Incorporating such plant into soil as green manure is effective in reducing population densities of soil pathogens.
Methods and Results: Twenty-three species of green manure crops were cultivated after the harvest of 6-year-old ginseng and then incorporated into the soil at the flowering stage. The following year, the root rot ratio of 2-year-old ginseng and soil chemical properties were investigated. In the absence of green manure addition, the NO3 content, electric conductivity (EC), and K content decreased by 95%, 79% and 65%, respectively. In the presence of green manure addition, P2O5 and NO3 contents reduced by 41% and 25%, respectively. The “survived root ratio” of 2-year-old ginseng significantly increased by 56.2%, 47.5%, and 47.3%, in the Sorghum sudanense, Ricinus communis and Helianthus tuberosus treatment, respectively. In addition, there was a significant increase in the “survived root ratio” in the Secale cereale, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Smallanthus sonchifolius treatments. The “survived root ratio” of ginseng showed a significant positive correlation with the soil pH and a negative correlation with the NO3 contents, and EC.
Conclusions: Cultivation of plant form the Chrysanthemum family as green manure, using mainly the rhizomes was effective for the control of root rot disease of ginseng.