Agroscope, Institute for Plant Production Sciences IPS, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland

Disinfection of basil seeds is a challenge

Seeds of sweet basil are often infected by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici or Peronospora lamii. The seeds of different varieties of sweet Basil could be disinfected from seed borne pathogenic fungi by aerated steam treatment. The seeds were treated and dried on a nylon net and successfully separated from each other after the process. For pot cultures the seeds were sown on filter paper and disinfected with aerated steam on the paper. After treatment the filter paper was transferred to the pots, covered with a layer of substrate and cultivated under suitable conditions to market stage.

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