Inhibition of Plant Pathogens

Aluminum can be toxic to pathogenic microorganisms, thus helping plants to avoid disease. Spore germination and vegetative growth of the black root rot pathogen, Thielaviopsis basicola Ferraris, were inhibited by 350 µM Al at pH 5 (29). Similarly, mycelial growth and sporangial germination of potato late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, were inhibited by 185 µM Al, and Andrivon (30) speculated that amendment of soils with aluminum might be used as a means of disease control.