Browsing by Author "Gomez-Montano, L."

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  • Do bacterial and fungal communities in soils of the Bolivian Altiplano change under shorter fallow periods?
    Gomez-Montano, L.; Jumpponen, A.; Gonzales, Miguel Angel; Cusicanqui, Jorge; Valdivia, Corinne; Motavalli, Peter P.; Herman, M.; Garrett, Karen A. (2013)
    Leaving fields fallow can improve soil fertility, but there is limited information on the effect of fallowing on soil microbiology. This article presents a study of soil fungal and bacterial properties in fallowed land in the Umala and Ancoriames municipalities of the Bolivian altiplano. The study tested the influence of fallowing, and of the presence of the native plant Thola, on fungal and bacterial populations. In Ancroaimes, fungal diversity increased with fallowing, while in Umala fungal diversity decreased with fallowing. Conversely, bacterial diversity with fallowing decreased in Ancoraimes and increased in Umala. The presence of Thola did not alter the level of diversity, but did result in higher populations of certain genera. Although these results demonstrate a variety of responses to fallowing, they establish its significance on bacterial and fungal populations
  • Emerging plant diseases: What are our best strategies for management?
    Garrett, Karen A.; Jumpponen, A.; Gomez-Montano, L. (New Rochelle, New York: Liebert Publishers, 2010)
    As food prices increase, new attention is focused on food security and the factors that affect crop productivity and availability. The interaction between the crop (host), pathogens, and the environment determines the occurrence and impact of plant diseases on crop health. There are many management strategies that aim to reduce the risk of disease emergence, but these are often controversial and difficult to implement. These strategies include biological controls, improved inspections at international borders, and increased subsidies for different plant species to support heterogeneity. Management strategies are available for existing plant diseases, but this article argues that more research is needed to fully understand the cause, effect, and control of plant diseases.