Protection Methods

- During cultivation

When epidemics are detected in a nursery, one  must quickly remove diseased seedlings. Bacteriostatic solutions based on copper* or cryptonol* may be applied at the collar level of seedlings. One should also lower the humidity level in the nursery to ensure that the soil does not become very wet.

It is virtually impossible to control the progress of Pectobacterium spp. once they are present in the stem of mature plants. Based on understanding of the biology of these bacteria, however, we can recommend some preventative measures such as avoid sprinkler irrigation whenever possible, or to irrigate in the morning rather than in the evening. In addition, it is important to avoid  topping or suckering by hand or mechanically during cloudy, wet days because it  promotes the development and spread of the disease.

To control barn rot, you should refer to the section of Curing barn diseases.


- Next crop

If you are afraid that your seeds are contaminated, they can be disinfected by soaking them for 12 minutes in hot water at 50 °C. This treatment will not change the quality of the seed. Treatment of seeds in the microwave for 20 minutes would have the same result.

Unfortunately, there is no tobacco variety resistant to these bacteria. Some of the recommended preventive measures against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci are also effective against Pectobacterium spp. See the corresponding fact sheet (Protection Methods).