WSU-Mount Vernon NW Research Center

Vegetable Seed Pathology Program

The Vegetable Seed Pathology program was initiated in August 2000 by Lindsey du Toit at the Washington State University (WSU) Mount Vernon Northwest Research and Extension Center (NWREC), as part of the WSU Safe Food Initiative. The objective of this research and extension program is to contribute towards a sustainable and secure food supply by providing research and extension support on vegetable seed crop diseases – Lindsey’s program serves vegetable seed growers regionally, nationally, and internationally. Her program investigates the biology, epidemiology, and management of an array of fungal, viral, and bacterial diseases that affect small-seeded vegetable seed crops in the Pacific Northwest.

The Vegetable Seed Pathology program collaborates widely with other researchers, extension specialists, and extension educators. Extension activities are accomplished through workshops, conferences, publications, regional and state advisory committees, and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Vegetable Extension Group. A number of new diseases have been reported in Washington State or other states by the Vegetable Seed Pathology program. For example, Fusarium wilt of radish (pdf) in Washington, the powdery mildew fungus Leveillula taurica on onion (pdf) in Washington and on potato in the USA, ( “Leveillula taurica on potatoes (pdf)”), 
Xanthomonas campestris pv. coriandri on coriander (pdf) in the USA, Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) on onion in Washington, Stemphylium leaf spot of spinach in Washington and Arizona, and infection of onion seed crops and onion seed by Botrytis porri.

Videos

Did you Know?

Did you know that farmers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the USA produce a significant percentage of the USA and world supply of seed for >35 small-seeded vegetable crops? Although these high value seed crops total <15,000 acres annually in Washington, they play a significant role in the global vegetable industry. One acre of hybrid cabbage seed crop produces about 2,000 lb of seed, which will plant about 10,000 acres of cabbage. About 90 countries import vegetable seed from the PNW because so few regions of the world have the specific climatic conditions necessary for production of high quality seed. The competitive nature of the vegetable seed industry necessitates production of high quality seed that is free of pathogens.

Research Projects

Some of the research projects on which the Vegetable Seed Pathology program has focused include:

• Biology and management of Botrytis spp. in onion bulb and seed crops in the Pacific Northwest (pdf)
• Epidemiology and management of bacterial blight in carrot seed crops (pdf)
• Verticillium wilt in spinach seed production (pdf)
• Etiology, biology, and management of leaf spot of spinach seed crops ( “ Seedborne Sb & Cv in spinach (pdf)” and “ Spinach seed trtmts (pdf)”)
• Biology and management of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) in onion bulb and seed crops (pdf).
• Management of Fusarium wilt in spinach and radish seed crops
• Seed treatments for organic vegetable crops
• Screening for resistance to Enterobacter bulb rot of onions in storage
• Cucumber mosaic virus in spinach seed crops