Quote:
Originally Posted by carolyn137
If you look closely at that list you'll see that some of the pathogens listed are said to be seedborne but are only found on the exterior of the seed, mainly the fungal ones, but bacterial, viral and viroid ones are on the interior only.
I think I referred to Dr. Helene Dillard above and what she showed was that fermentation was effective in removing almost all of the fungal ones from the seed exterior, and that infection is quantititative so that lessens the chances that actual infection will occur.
And as I also noted, studies such as hers have not been done with oxidative methods. Several folks have tried, and failed to find the efficacy of oxidative methods for tomatoes and Imention that b'c there is data for other kinds of seeds. But then Dr, Dillard had large grants, from either Heinz or Campbells. to fund her research. 
Carolyn |
ahhh yes ! light bulb going off !
It is the total inside and outside pathogens ...Plus other environmental grow conditions/stresses...... ( plus variety selected genetic disease resistance )
that will decide the chance of the disease to express itself in the cultivare.
Normally the fermentation or oxidation method for outside fungal treatment is enough
in normal healthy cultivation environment for plants to grow and reach maturity and produce fruit.
It is the tried and true standard way. the Gold Standard.
..I am just wondering if there is any justification in saying if you also had heat treated seeds that were devoid of the inside bacterial / viral pathogens as well.........(most of these pathogens which we would never be aware of ...and still have good production ! ) would one not increase the chances of a healthier plant and get a potentially a better production ???
I don't know if it is worth it for everybody ...but I think there are a lot of " Tomatovillians "
who would like to get all the best factors lined up to increase the outcome ...chances.
If a plant does not have to spend resources to fight/defend against disease with a disease response ( even invisible to the normal eye )...will it actually grow / produce better ?
oh geese I can't believe I said that ............