Abstract:
FOREWORD
Managing soil-borne pathogens: A sound rhizosphere to improve productivity in intensive horticultural systems was presented as symposium 8 at the XXVIth International Horticultural Congress, held in Toronto-Canada, August 2002. This Acta reports the proceedings of the symposium and presents a holistic approach to the various components involved in soil-borne disease and plant health: The plant, the soil, the pathogen and the whole complex of biotic and abiotic causal factors.
What emerges is the current trend from a horticultural perspective, towards soil-borne disease prevention and mitigation.
This symposium continued a long history of ISHS symposia centred on soil disease, infestation and prevention.
The series of symposia started with that organized by started by Prof.
C. Van Assche in 1973 in Leuven-Belgium, and continued most recently with symposia in Torino, Italy in 2000 (the 5th organized by Profs.
M.L. Gullino and A. Garibaldi). The next (the 7th) will be held in Corfu, Greece in 2004 under the leadership of Prof.
E. Tjamos.
These efforts show the very great need for knowledge exchange to stimulate more research on the management and control of soil-borne diseases that cause major losses in economically important crops, especially in horticulture.
The general trend to reduce the environmental impact of chemical inputs in horticulture (well illustrated by the path to elimination of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant) encourages horticultural researchers and practitioners to pay attention to the development of innovative disease control methods. Research on biological control and the management of the soil microflora is at the forefront of this trend.
A review of the contents of the Acta that have been published from previous symposia on soil-borne disease reveals a steadily changing approach and methodology.
From a largely chemical approach in the early seventies we see now in this symposium the importance of the work supporting biological control and the understanding of the range of factors involved in disease development and plant resistance.
Studies to determine disease pressure in the soil or substrate, using modern molecular techniques, are increasingly involved as support for decision making, and formulation of plant disease control strategies.
This symposium was organised by the ISHS Commission Plant Protection and the ISHS Working Group on Soil-Borne Pathogens, and was co-sponsored by the ISHS on Orchard Replant Working Group, ASHS Root Growth and Rhizosphere Dynamics Working Group, ASHS Plant Propagation Working Group, and the International Plant Propagators Society.
This broad field of interest was well represented in the contributions of the participants that covered a wide variety of problems and solutions.
Convener Prof.
Dr.
M.L. Gullino, together with co-conveners Dr.
A. Lévesque and Dr.
A. Vanachter, and assisted by the International Scientific Committee made the organisation of this symposium to a great success.
Thanks to all.
A. Vanachter
Editor
PREFACE
The papers contained in this volume of Acta Horticulturae report the proceedings of a symposium on Managing Soil-Borne Pathogens: A Sound Rhizosphere to Improve Productivity in Intensive Horticultural Systems.
Keynote speakers and authors of selected contributed oral and poster presentations were given the opportunity to submit a manuscript for publication.
These manuscripts were reviewed by the symposium editor and other referees.
Only those papers judged suitable for publication following the authors consideration of reviewer suggestions appear in this volume of Acta Horticulturae.
The ISHS acknowledges and appreciates the contribution of all editors and reviewers.
They have made a significant contribution to assuring the quality of this publication.
The ISHS Board of Directors
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