The abstract
Biofumigation process (BFP) increased the water holding capacity (WHC) of soil compared with the control. As a result of BFP, the percentage of organic matter (% OM) and organic carbon (% OC) increased. The highest percentage of OM (2.03 and 2.45 %) and OC (1.19% and 1.42%) after BFP appeared with the treatment by canola and cauliflower, respectively. BFP with selected Brassicaceae species; Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea, var. botrytis L.), radish (Raphanus sativus), watercress (Eruca sativa), canola (Brassica napus), cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.), and turnip (Brassica rapa) are effective in lowering the count of soil-borne fungi (CFU /g of soil) after biofumigation compared with that before the BFP. The average of CFU for soil-borne fungi after biofumigation (21.67 x 103 /ml of soil sample) was lower than that obtained during the growth of plant treatments (149.35x 103 /ml of soil sample) and that obtained from the control sample (74.67 x 103 /ml of soil sample). The CFU/ ml of soil sample for F. lateritium was 2.0, 4.68, and 11.67 CFU x13/ml of soil sample after BFP, during growth of treatments and for control sample respectively. Fusarium lateritium Nees disappeared with cauliflower, radish, canola, and cabbage. As a result of BFP the composition of community of soil-borne fungi were changed by the disappearance of some genera and appearance of others. Canola, radish and cabbage treatments gave the lowest CFU/ ml of soil sample after BFP.