Study finds soils can naturally suppress major crop diseases

Curtin University researchers have discovered some agricultural soils can naturally suppress one of Australia's most damaging broadacre crop diseases. The research, published in the journal Applied Soil Ecology, found some soils can inhibit infection and survival of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum—the fungus responsible for Sclerotinia stem rot, a disease that causes significant yield losses in broadacre crops such as canola and pulses.