Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: December 15, 1998
Publication Date: N/A
Technical Abstract:
Soilborne pathogens cause severe disease problems on plants grown under greenhouse conditions. This is the case both in greenhouses based on low technology and in advanced high technology houses. Chemical control is often unreliable because it can be difficult to reach the targeted soilborne pathogen with the pesticide and because of the development of fungicide resistance by some pathogens. When soils are treated with chemicals it is not uncommon to have problems with pathogens which have the ability to quickly recolonize the disinfested soil. There is also an increasing concern for the environment and how it is influenced by pesticide use. Thus, both for environmental protection reasons, and since the possibilities for chemical control of soilborne pathogens are limited, growers are forced to seek new disease control measures. Development of IPM programs which include the control of soilborne diseases is being considered as an approach for reducing the use of pesticides in greenhouses. Biological disease control will form an important part of such IPM programs. This will, however, require an intensified research effort in plant pathology and microbial ecology in greenhouse cultivation conditions, and there will be a need for training growers and extension officers in new bio-intensive IPM procedures before they can be implemented in commercial plant production.
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