Developing best management practices for diseases in newly emerging vegetable transplant production systems in California (Main P.I. Dr. Johanna Del Castillo: Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis)
Most of the scientific information and research available for vegetable disease management has been generated for field crops, and currently there is little to no information available on best management practices specifically tailored for vegetable seedling production in the state. The development of BMPs for vegetable seedling production will benefit the VTNA, as the research generated in this project will provide resources to improve cultural practices that aim to reduce the risk of pathogen presence and spread in vegetable transplant production. We will also benefit from this project by learning how to incorporate new and less hazardous chemistries and biological controls that are effective at eliminating recurrent pathogens.
The vegetable transplant industry could benefit by having research-based guidelines that provide integrated approaches for disease management and guarantee the production of healthy and pathogen free vegetable transplants to be used in vegetable fields in California.
This project is of critical importance to this industry. The VTNA fully support the proposal as a viable means to develop more tools for an integrated disease management of vegetable transplant crops. We are happy to provide consultation in support of Dr. Del Castillo’s project and are also participating as collaborators for the sampling portion and validation studies of the project.