Agroecological strategies for the management of soilborne pathogens in strawberry cultivation in Campania region

Strawberry crops in the Campania region are increasingly affected by soilborne pathogens such as Macrophomina phaseolina, Neopestalotiopsis spp., and Phytophthora spp., which cause significant yield losses and threaten the sustainability of production systems. The progressive restriction of synthetic fumigants and other plant protec- tion products highlights the urgency of identifying alterna- tive disease management solutions that are both effective and environmentally sustainable. This 2024 study presents preliminary findings from an agroecological pathogen sup- pression strategy grounded in the “healthy plants in healthy soils” principle, in comparison with the conventional cul- tivation system widely adopted in the region. Key strate- gies include innovative soil solarization method (Solin®), organic amendments, crop rotation with non-host, and the application of antagonistic microorganisms such as Tricho- derma spp. and Bacillus spp. The agroecological approach - based on the incorporation of organic amendments and effective soil solarization - resulted in a 97.4% efficacy in the control of M. phaseolina when integrated with the use of biocontrol agents. In addition, the pathogenic organisms, reported above, were not detected after the implementation of the agroecological strategy. Preliminary greenhouse trials conducted in strawberry-growing areas of Parete (Caserta) in Campania indicate a consistent reduction in disease inci- dence and an improvement in plant vigor when these prac- tices were integrated. The role of microbial diversity and organic matter quality emerges as central in disease sup- pression. This agroecological framework offers a promis- ing direction for agroecological disease control of soilborne pathogens in strawberry, aligning with current goals in plant pathology for sustainable and ecologically based disease control.