Continuous cropping of endangered therapeutic plants via electron beam soil-treatment and neutron tomography

Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 1;8(1):2136. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-20124-7.

Abstract

Various medicinal plants are threatened with extinction owing to their over-exploitation and the prevalence of soil borne pathogens. In this study, soils infected with root-rot pathogens, which prevent continuous-cropping, were treated with an electron beam. The level of soil-borne fungus was reduced to ≤0.01% by soil electron beam treatment without appreciable effects on the levels of antagonistic microorganism or on the physicochemical properties of the soil. The survival rate of 4-year-old plant was higher in electron beam-treated soil (81.0%) than in fumigated (62.5%), virgin (78%), or untreated-replanting soil (0%). Additionally, under various soils conditions, neutron tomography permitted the monitoring of plant health and the detection of root pathological changes over a period of 4-6 years by quantitatively measuring root water content in situ. These methods allow continual cropping on the same soil without pesticide treatment. This is a major step toward the environmentally friendly production of endangered therapeutic herbs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crops, Agricultural*
  • Electrons / therapeutic use*
  • Neutrons*
  • Panax notoginseng / growth & development*
  • Panax notoginseng / radiation effects
  • Plant Roots / growth & development*
  • Plant Roots / radiation effects
  • Soil / chemistry*
  • Soil Microbiology / standards*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Soil