Impact and management of diseases in the propagation of fruit plants

Abstract Well-formed and healthy propagative material is essential for economic success in fruit growing. The health of the seedlings must be ensured during production to prevent the death of plants and spread of pathogens to new areas, which cause an increase in production costs and reduction in yield, with some pathogens making production unviable in the areas where they are introduced. The most viable strategy for disease control in propagative material is the use of resistant cultivars. However, for many fruit cultivars sources of resistance have not yet been identified and in some cases the resistance is “broken” by the emergence of new races of the pathogen. Other measures are also important and recommended in plant propagation, such as the use of integrated disease management, the use of cultural and biological methods, substrate preparation, irrigation management, grafting, balanced nutrition and use of organic matter, eliminating the initial inoculum, and reducing the disease rate. Among the various procedures in nurseries for ensuring the health of seedlings are the use of pathogen-free seeds and cuttings, handling of substrates in clean facilities, disinfection of hands, tools and containers, maintenance of water quality for irrigation, and the elimination of invasive plants. It is important to clean the nurseries and have a suitable place for the disposal of seedlings, substrates and crop residues. A record and history of the operations in the production of seedlings should be a routine, as well as security and control in access to greenhouses or nurseries. The application of knowledge and the best strategies of integrated disease management for the production of healthy seedlings, guarantees the quality of the productive material and the success of the crop.

摘要 形态健全、健康无病的繁殖材料是果树种植实现经济收益的必要基础。育苗生产过程中必须保障种苗健康，以避免植株死亡及病原菌向新区域扩散——此类情况会导致生产成本上升、产量下降，部分引入的病原菌甚至会使引种区域完全丧失生产可行性。针对繁殖材料的病害防控，最具可行性的策略是种植抗病品种。然而，多数果树栽培品种尚未明确其抗病种质资源，且部分情况下，病原菌新生理小种的出现会打破原有抗病性。植物繁殖过程中，其他防控措施同样重要且值得推广：包括集成病害管理方案、农业与生物防治手段、育苗基质制备、灌溉管理、嫁接技术、平衡施肥与有机质施用、清除初始接种源以及降低病害发生率等。苗圃保障种苗健康的各类操作流程包括：使用无病原菌的种子与插穗、在洁净设施中处理基质、对双手、工具及容器进行消毒、维持灌溉用水水质、清除入侵植物等。定期清洁苗圃，并设置专用场地用于处置废弃种苗、基质及作物残体，同样至关重要。育苗生产的操作记录与历史档案应作为日常工作内容，同时需对温室或苗圃的人员准入实施安全管控。将集成病害管理的相关知识与最优策略应用于健康种苗生产，可保障繁殖材料的品质与作物种植的最终成功。