BIOCONTROL OF SOILBORNE PLANT PATHOGENS IN BAREROOT CONIFER NURSERIES

PESTICIDE USE ON PLANT CROPS POSE LONG-TERM HARMFUL EFFECTS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION, IN A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (1989) HAS ADOPTED A PEST MANAGEMENT POLICYWHICH GIVES PREFERENCE TO NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL MEASURES. RELIABLE, NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR FUNGAL ROOT DISEASES OF CONIFER SEEDLINGS, THEREFORE CHEMICALS REMAIN IN USE. ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE STRAINS OF MICROORGANISMS CAN EFFECTIVELY PROTECT PLANTS FROM ROOT DISEASES. FURTHERMORE,NEW METHODS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR COATING SEEDS WITH THESE BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS. AS YET, THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPLIED TO FOREST NURSERIES. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WOULD EVALUATE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL ORGANISMS AND CURRENT SEED COATING TECHNOLOGY FOR BIOLOGICALDISEASE CONTROL IN BAREROOT FOREST NURSERIES. WE WILL EVALUATE THE CONTROL OF DAMPING-OFF AND ROOT ROT DISEASES OF DOUGLAS-FIR CAUSED BY PYTHIUM, FUSARIUM, PHYTOPHTHORA ANDCYLINDROCARPON. THE DATA OBTAINED WILL ASSIST IN THE PRODUCTION OF A SEED COATING PRODUCT WHICH WOULD THEN BE AVAILABLE TO FEDERAL, STATE AND PRIVATE FOREST NURSERIES. THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE ADAPTABLE FOR FOOD CROPS AS WELL AS HORTICULTURAL AND ORNAMENTAL INDUSTRIES.