Effect of chitosan on seed germation, seedling growth and the clubroot control in Chinese cabbage

Effect of natural nontoxic biopolymer chitosan on seed germination, seedling growth and clubroot control in Chinese cabbage were evaluated. Results showed that seed germination of Chinese cabbage was unaffected while seed germination of rape and the seedling growth of Chinese cabbage were differentially affected by the two kind of chitosan at different concentrations. However, chitosan significantly inhibited the resting spores’ germination of the clubroot pathogen, and reduced the disease index of clubroot of Chinese cabbage and the number of the resting spores in soil compared to the control regardless of chitosan type and concentration as well as the application method. In general, the inhibitory effect in the resting spores’ germination and the number in soil increased with the increase of chitosan concentration regardless of chitosan type. Overall, the results indicated that the two kinds of chitosan solutions had a potential in controlling clubroot on Chinese cabbage.