Are organic farming soils more disease suppressive?

Abstract

Due to lack of diversity, commercial banana plantations are susceptible to pests and diseases. Organic agriculture is a way of farming that aims to develop holistic management in an ecological way. Organic agriculture tries to promote disease suppression through healthy soils by increasing biological activity and diversity. This is achieved through
the application of organic fertilizers and increasing organic inputs to stimulate soil microbial biomass and activity (1). Fusarium wilt of bananas caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), also known as Panama disease, has been a devastating disease throughout the world. So far, no fungicides or cultural measures have been found that sufficiently control Foc. The aim of this research was to assess whether organic farming systems and soils are more resilient than inorganic farming systems to soilborne diseases, in particular Fusarium wilt.