THE NEED FOR A SOUND SOIL OR SUBSTRATE FOR FOOD SUPPLY AND WORLD TRADE

Growth specialization automatically leads to specification and aggressiveness of the pathotypes, especially in the soil; the spread of plant identities introduces new geo-phytopathological interactions. The basis for starting cultivation are seed and soil. Preventative sanitation of the nutrient substrate is outstanding in its benefit/risk relation in comparison with reciprocal curative attempts during the cultivation itself, with respect to problems of inefficiency and heterogeneous, persistent residue accumulation. Farming hygiene could be compared to a mutating jig-saw of therapeutic methods all fitting together, it is really the culture master's cup of tea. Because of the dynamics of the pathotypes in nature compared to plant varieties and to monosite phytoproducts, classical resistance upgrading is generally very limited and temporary. Gene transmutation can still provoke a great deal of discussion, for example the interbacterial transplants, the accentuation of the plant-pesticide relation and the monopolization of the seed production.

The input of a biological predator as an antagonist, although very limited, may contribute via seed and soil inoculation and this mainly in the biological vacuum of a disinfested soil, of inert substrates and hydroponics.

However, one has never been able to transpose plant or animal from their natural to a more artificial growth and biosphere, reducing at the same time the extent and the degree of the pathological issue. Mainly in the overall frame of substrate cultures, physical methods such as heating, ozonization and microwaves may be suitable measures as far as cultivation hygiene is concerned; solarization being in its turn a reduction below the epidemiological threshold in the natural sphere and autochthonous plant production.

In chemical phytiatry attention is often one-eyedly and non-scientifically focused on one residual element, e.g. bromide, without interpretation of the total cumulative impact of vivotoxins and chemicals, even of natural origin and without mastering the total daily intake (TDI) and influence on the same or other targets.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files)