PREFACE

Our laboratory is already working for about 25 years on the problems of soil borne diseases and soil disinfestation. This research was not possible without the financial support during all these years of the Institute for Encouragement of Scientific Research in Industry and Agriculture (I.W.O.N.L. - I.R.S.I.A.).

It was a real pleasure for us to welcome about 150 scientific workers and representatives from the industry from 22 different countries, to discuss and exchange ideas about the new evolution in this highly specialised field of plant protection. As it is clear from the 43 scientific papers published here, much attention is payed on the development of non-chemical control methods, such as soil solarization and biological control via direct introduction or cultural measures influencing the development of antagonistic organisms. The research concerning chemical soil disinfestation deals with an efficiency increase for specific problems, but for a great deal with toxicological and residue problems, indicating the general interest for the safety of the consumer, the contractor and the environmental protection.

Apart from the scientific lectures and discussions, we had the occasion to discuss the more practical problems during the professional excursions to the horticultural regions of West-Vlaanderen and Mechelen, where we visited very modern growing techniques as well as different methods of soil fumigation in greenhouse and open field conditions.

In addition to the scientific program, all participants appreciated highly the different informal meetings, organised in the beautiful and historical surroundings of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. As our chairman, Prof. C. Van Assche stressed during the farewell dinner : "Working together and celebrating together makes great spirits!"

Prof. C. Van Assche
A. Vanachter


WELCOME ADDRESS

It is my great pleasure to welcome all of you at this Third International Symposium on Soil Disinfestation in the frame of the I.S.H.S. You are all engaged and/or interested in research, practice and information and you came from almost twenty-five different countries, therefore, I feel highly honoured and very pleased to greet everyone of you. A hearty welcome and many thanks for being with us today and this week.

I would especially like to thank our Katholieke Universiteit Leuven for their warm intimate hospitality and for providing all the facilities for this Symposium.

Thanks to the invaluable support in numerous ways of the I.W.O.N.L. Fundamental research has been concentrated on practically-oriented or realistic applications. In this way, not only are we able to watch things happen, but also we are able to make things happen as well.

Regularly organising this Symposium creates a continuous forum where progress, due to agricultural scientific research, is continually confronted with the attitude of those with practical experience, producers as well as consumers, all becoming increasingly strict and critical.

In our work sessions and in all our personal contacts, I would like to focus your attention on these four points :

Continuity - Criticism - Competence - Credibility

It is in the spirit of this continuity that such a Symposium is being organised for the third time. The grower must be able to deliver a product which comes up to always evolving legal and social standards regarding environment, quality and international trade.

In addition to the criticism from public opinion it should be the cultivator's prerogative to demand that competent scientists, legislators and consultants should work together so as to come to a credible application of our knowledge and to credible farming methods.

Representatives of the press, I consider you as our allies : the press is able to translate scientific insight into a more practicable form so that scientific interventions be not considered as being haphazard but as a further step towards a food production and a plant protection strategy acceptable for both man and his environment. Good and reliable information both of the professional specialist and of the general public, is a first step towards further co-operation and understanding, based on mutual respect.

Thank you in advance on behalf of the agriculturalists and horticulturalists.

Prof. C. Van Assche
26/09/88