In some nurseries to irrigate plants water must be taken from natural reservoirs. Rivers and lakes are oftenpolluted with microorganisms and a proportion of these are pathogenic to cultivated forest tree species. To avoid theinfection of seedlings due to plant irrigation with contaminated water, a system of Slow Sand Filters (SSF) wasdesigned and installed in the Kiejsze forest nursery (Ko3o Forest District in central Poland). Tests of slow sand filtersefficiency were performed using qPCR to assess their effectiveness in reducing the concentration of bacterial DNA infiltrated water. Measurements after filtration through SSF, revealed a significant reduction in bacterial DNA. After 24hours, 60% of Rhizobium tumefaciens was eliminated and that progressed to 71% after 48 h. In the caseof Pseudomonas syringae, purification of water was even more efficient, 67% after 24 h and 74% after 48 h, and therewas a similar reduction for Xanthmonas campestris (71% and 70%, respectively). These data allow us to recommendthis approach to water purification as an alternative preventive method for plant protection in nurseries.
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