Soil-Borne Pathogens

The Working Group Soil-Borne Pathogens addresses one of horticulture’s most persistent challenges: diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and other soil organisms that infect plant roots. These pathogens cause significant yield losses, reduce crop quality, and increase production costs across vegetables, ornamentals, fruit crops, and medicinal plants.

The Working Group’s activities span several key areas:

• Pathogen biology and ecology: research focuses on the biology, survival strategies, host ranges, and interactions of soil-borne pathogens with soil microbiota. This knowledge is essential for developing effective, soil-health-oriented control measures.
• Disease management: the group promotes sustainable approaches such as soil solarization, anaerobic disinfestation, biofumigation, suppressive soils, grafting, and resistant cultivars. It also explores water disinfection, innovative chemicals, fumigants, biological control agents, crop health monitoring, and IoT-based tools for prevention and management.
• Emerging threats: climate change and global trade drive the emergence and spread of new soil-borne diseases. The Working Group monitors outbreaks and advocates adaptive strategies to mitigate these risks.
• Soilless systems: with hydroponics and substrate-based horticulture expanding, the group studies pathogen dynamics in these environments, where shared irrigation can rapidly spread diseases, making sanitation and monitoring critical.
• Knowledge exchange: through international symposia like the International Symposium on Soil and Substrate Disinfestation, the Working Group fosters collaboration among scientists, extension specialists, and industry stakeholders. Research outcomes are published in Acta Horticulturae for global dissemination.

In short, the Working Group Soil-Borne Pathogens serves as a global hub for research and innovation, integrating traditional expertise with new technologies to safeguard crop productivity and food security. Its mission is to develop sustainable, resilient horticultural systems in the face of evolving challenges.