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Roselle, IL GJGEM@sbcglobal.net

With thousands of seed about to change hands, does anybody consider seed-borne disease?I lost some great plants to gummy stem blight this year. It is a possible seed borne disease. I am hesitant to send these seeds to anybody. How is a seed-borne disease transfered? On the seed coat or internally? Will the disease be killed if the seeds are soaked in peroxide or Zerotol first?

George

11/1/2003 8:22:27 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

George,

Your concerns are justified. Please see the following clip from the Cornell GSB fact sheet series:

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Disease-free seed should be used for all cucurbit plantings. Obtain seed from reputable sources. If seed is to be saved from open-pollinated varieties, these should originate from disease free plantings and should be harvested at a location where there is no contamination by airborne conidia. Use of seed disinfectants does not guarantee that all seed is disease-free. Seed disinfectants are more effective when used as solutions or suspensions than as dry dust treatments.

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If planting suspect seed (even it it has been disinfected) or you're growing in previously infected soil, treat the seedlings every 7-10 days with a Mancozeb containing fugicide for as long as conditions favor disease development.

Gummy Stem Blight has an interesting & complicated yet predictable life cycle. If you understand it, you can control it. This is just one of several good fact sheets you might want to review if you haven't already.

http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Cucurbit_GSBlight.htm

Steve

11/2/2003 12:15:39 AM

Montoursville, PA

Since each and every grower becomes a mini seedsman who will likely distribute his production or share them with others there is literally no way controll or intent to controll the subject of this thread. It all comes down to two simple things...personal care and care based on what one knows or does not know. That having been said there is a substancial number of gardeners who do not want treated seed. I favor common sense treatment.

My last rinse when cleaning seed included ten percent by volume household bleach and the use of a copper based fungicide. Please if you do this wear gloves because your skin pores are soaked to full open in the seed cleaning process. It is my belief that this is better than shaking a small amount of dust into or onto the drying seed. The resulting coating is virtually so slight that it can not be seen except by a trained eye. If selling seed that would have to be a label stated fact. No matter how seed are treated 100% control is not possible.

It would be interesting to hear what others do along these lines.

11/28/2003 7:03:12 PM