Bacterial diseases in many vegetable crops have become increasingly more frequent and difficult for growers in our region to control over the years. One cultural practice that has become more common is that of hot water treatments to reduce the possibility of seed-borne bacterial disease.

Managing disease properly takes a number of steps and actions on the part of the grower, and many of these strategies should be implemented pre-season. Doing what you can to ensure that your seed is as clean as possible is a great place to start, and a good way to take a proactive approach as opposed to reactive.

The greenhouse environment and transplant production provides the ultimate conditions for a seed borne pathogen to make its way through an entire crop. As you sew your flats and pot up each seedling, your hands become the perfect vector for spreading the problem from plant to plant. Treating the seed of certain crops at a specific temperature and for a specific amount of time is an alternative to other chemical based treatments. Keep in mind that this will have an effect on bacterial diseases found on the seed coat, and won't effect viral diseases at all. Additionally, hot water treatment works well on a number of crops, but not all.

Click on the links provided here for information and specific treatment guidelines provided by Rutgers and Cornell.