Monitoring pathogens and preventative control programs at a nursery producing container-grown plants

摘要

Like any living organism, plants are susceptible to infection by environmental pathogens at all stages of development. The environmental conditions that nurseries must maintain to achieve plant growth coincide with the conditions necessary for pathogen growth and development. Although the chemical treatment of plants after a pathogen has infected its tissues is appropriate, the prevention of that initial pathogen/host interaction is more important to the long-term health and production of nursery plants. Thus, it is essential that nurseries have, in place, a system of prophylactic measures and monitoring that is designed to minimize this interaction. Such a system must be multi-layered and adaptable. By employing multiple prophylactic measures followed by close monitoring and laboratory testing of plants for potential pathogens, a high degree of success can be achieved.