THE IMPORTANCE OF SEED CONTROL AND SEED TREATMENT FOR A GUARANTEED PLANT PRODUCTION

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 220: I International Symposium on Vegetables for Processing

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEED CONTROL AND SEED TREATMENT FOR A GUARANTEED PLANT PRODUCTION

Authors:

C. Van Assche, K.U. Leuven

Abstract:
An important part of the agricultural and the horticultural production consists of vegetables for processing. It is a sector that gains in importance due to the processing industries related to it.

All of the different growing formulae, being or a pure contract culture or as another possibility a culture under the continuous responsibility of the processing industry itself, claim in the first place for a guaranteed plant production (qualitatively and quantitatively).

Experience has teached that good results of a pea or bean culture depend to a large extent on seed quality.

Quality means : 1. vitality, germinating force, germinating energy of the seed itself; 2. preventive treatment in the control of seed and soil borne pests and pathogens.

Seed control implies as well an 'in vitro' screening as an 'in vivo sowing and evaluation. The aim of a chemical seed treatment consists of protection of the seedling.

An ideal seed treatment should fulfil 3 criteria :

Dose curativa : a complete decontamination and/or disinfestation;
Dose preventiva : seeds and seedlings should offer a pre- and post-emergence protection versus soil borne diseases;
Dose tolerata : no lowering in germinating force and no phenomena of phytotoxicity.

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