Assessment of various plants to reduce the population density of Plasmodiophora brassicae in soil

Abstract

We investigated the effect of various plants on the population density of Plasmodiophora brassicae, which causes clubroot disease in crucifers. The amount of P. brassicae in soil samples was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The impact of the plants used in this study was generally small under both greenhouse and field conditions. P. brassicae does not cause clubroot disease in leaf radish (ha-daikon), but is known to be able to proliferate in the root hairs of the plant. The qPCR could also detect an increased density of P. brassicae in soil where leaf radishes were grown.