Dr. Isaac Nir -
President - Genesis Seeds Ltd. - Israel
April 2002
Are methods
available to adequately protect seedlings from soil borne
diseases?
There are many
ways to protect seedlings from soil-borne disease:
Start with highest quality seeds,
Use
sterile soil media at the nursery stage,
Obtain organic
fertilizers and composts from a certified source and
check them carefully,
Rotate crops,
Ensure good aeration,
Use organically-approved fungi such as Trichoderma spp.
Different materials like manganese
and sulfur salts or organic acids have been recommended
as preventative treatments for soil-borne
diseases. The organic growers have to be active in using
preventative measures to avoid contamination rather than to
figure out what to do when his crop is already contaminated.
