Non- chemical methods of seed treatment for control of seed- borne pathogens on vegetables

Abstract

Abstract – The aim of EU-project "Seed Treatments for Organic Vegetable Production" (STOVE) was to evaluate non-chemical methods for control of seed-borne pathogens in organic vegetable production. Physical (hot air, hot water and electron) and biologi-cal (microorganisms and different agents of natural origin) methods have been investigated. Trials have been carried out with different patho-systems such as cabbage / Alternaria spp and parsley / Septoria pet-roselini. Good control was generally obtained with the physical methods. In field trials, the yield of parsley naturally infested by S. petroselini was increased by 20 % when the seeds were treated with hot air. In trials performed under controlled conditions, also thyme oil treatment increased the number of germinated seedlings of this crop compared to the untreated control. Treatments with different commercialised microbial preparations reduced incidence of disease caused by Alternaria spp. in cabbage seedlings to a level similar to that achieved after chemical treatment. Many of the non-commercialised microoganisms also reduced disease incidence clearly