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Horticulturae
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Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses
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Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Protected Culture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2024 | Viewed by 19950

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Bandte Martina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division Phytomedicine, Faculty of Life Science, Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Interests: water transmissibility of plant viruses; disinfection; tree viruses; sanitation; epidemiology of plant pathogens; horticulture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Known and new pathogens continue to pose a challenge to economically and ecologically intensive crop production. Technical processes such as electrolytic water disinfection have been scaled up and introduced into practice. However, one challenge is still posed by undesirable disinfection byproducts.

It is well known that proper attention to greenhouse sanitation is essential to reduce disease and pest outbreaks. Pathogen propagules are easily introduced and dispersed through irrigation, soil and soilless media, plantlets, and tools such as growing containers, trays, and metal pruning equipment. In addition, employees and visitors can introduce pathogens from surrounding areas if they harbor a reservoir of pests and pathogens. A variety of disinfection technologies comprising physical, chemical, and ecological techniques is available on the market. According to the diversity of production conditions and beyond the general requirements of sustainability, environmental compatibility and product safety, the gardener has to choose the technique that fits best for their specific application. For instance, water disinfection is required in hydroponics, aquaponics, and in pre- and postharvest practices of the fresh produce chain, as well as whenever run-off, reused or surface water potentially contaminated with plant or human pathogens is used.

Disinfection in the greenhouse is an essential part of plant protection management. It includes seed disinfection as well as disinfection of soil, water, recirculating nutrient solution, and surface. What is our current state of knowledge? Which technologies and processes have been tested, introduced, or established in horticultural practice? What are their advantages and limitations?

Based on your expertise, I believe that you could make a valuable contribution to this Special Issue with a suited topic within the wide field of related subjects. I am aware that this is a huge topic, with various technical approaches, different pests, diverse production conditions and crops, and different legal frameworks in individual countries. Let us take up the challenge together.

Dr. Bandte Martina
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water treatment
  • seed treatment
  • surface disinfection
  • soil biosolarization
  • disinfection byproducts
  • hydroponics
  • aquaponics
  • wash water

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2553 KiB  
Article
Effects of Cold Plasma and Ozone Water Treatment on Micronutrient Solubility
by Dharti Thakulla and Paul R. Fisher
Horticulturae 2023, 9(5), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9050568 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2110
Abstract
Cold plasma and ozone sanitation of irrigation solutions can oxidize both microbes and non-target micronutrients because their high oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is a non-selective mode of action. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cold plasma and ozone treatment [...] Read more.
Cold plasma and ozone sanitation of irrigation solutions can oxidize both microbes and non-target micronutrients because their high oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is a non-selective mode of action. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cold plasma and ozone treatment on oxidation of iron and manganese in nutrient solutions containing one of four iron chelates (iron-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Fe-EDTA), iron-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Fe-DTPA), iron-ethylenediamine-N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) (Fe-EDDHA), and hydroxybenzyl ethylenediamine (Fe-HBED)). Nutrient solutions were recirculated through the cold plasma or ozone system until the ORP reached 700 mV. The concentrations of total dissolved iron, manganese, and chelated iron were measured before and after passing through the treatment systems. Both cold plasma and ozone oxidized chelates and decreased the solubility of iron and manganese. Cold plasma and ozone had similar effects on micronutrients, pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen at a standardized target ORP of 700 mV. Fe-EDTA was the most resistant chelate to oxidation. With Fe-EDTA, ORP increased more quickly, and the concentration of chelated Fe decreased less with the increasing ORP over time compared with Fe-DTPA, Fe-EDDHA, and Fe-HBED. The concentration of chelated Fe decreased by up to 80% for EDDHA at 700 mV compared with a 20% decrease for EDTA. The concentration of Mn decreased by up to 85% at 700 mV. The design of water treatment with cold plasma or ozone therefore requires consideration of secondary effects on micronutrients. The treatment dosage, flow rate, and nutrient solution at a particular grower operation are likely to affect the quantity of micronutrient fertilizer that needs to be supplemented following treatment. Use of Fe-EDTA is one strategy to reduce the loss of iron and increase residual ORP that is available for sanitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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17 pages, 4028 KiB  
Article
Decontamination of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus-Contaminated Shoe Soles under Practical Conditions
by Jens Ehlers, Shaheen Nourinejhad Zarghani, Bärbel Kroschewski, Carmen Büttner and Martina Bandte
Horticulturae 2022, 8(12), 1210; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8121210 - 17 Dec 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2282
Abstract
Due to its global spread, easy mechanical transmissibility inside greenhouses, and detrimental effects on marketability, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is considered to be one of the biggest threats to tomato production. Regarding such crop epidemics, it is essential to identify all [...] Read more.
Due to its global spread, easy mechanical transmissibility inside greenhouses, and detrimental effects on marketability, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is considered to be one of the biggest threats to tomato production. Regarding such crop epidemics, it is essential to identify all conceivable transmission routes and to interrupt them with effective decontamination strategies. We analyzed the potential efficacy of reliable shoe sole cleaning in combination with a disinfection measure. For this purpose, first, a suspension test was undertaken that involved applying different disinfectants to an infected plant homogenate. This was followed by a simulated carrier test. Finally, shoe-sole decontamination was tested under practical conditions. The extent of decontamination was determined by bioassays of the infectivity of the initial load remaining after treatment. Thereby, necrotic local lesions on the susceptible indicator plant Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi NN were counted. Recommendations for practical applications, based on suspension or simulated carrier tests, are limited in their applicability, since very short contact times between ToBRFV and disinfectants reduce efficacy. Under practical conditions, the approved disinfectant MENNO Florades was able to achieve complete inactivation of the virus in the disinfection mat following mechanical depletion from the shoe soles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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12 pages, 4079 KiB  
Article
Disinfectants Useful to Manage the Emerging Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus in Greenhouse Tomato Production
by Kai-Shu Ling, Andrea C. Gilliard and Bazgha Zia
Horticulturae 2022, 8(12), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8121193 - 14 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5004
Abstract
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is an emerging tobamovirus infecting tomato and pepper crops. First identified in 2014 in the Middle East, ToBRFV has spread rapidly around the world. Being seed-borne, resistance breaking and easy mechanical transmission, ToBRFV can spread quickly in [...] Read more.
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is an emerging tobamovirus infecting tomato and pepper crops. First identified in 2014 in the Middle East, ToBRFV has spread rapidly around the world. Being seed-borne, resistance breaking and easy mechanical transmission, ToBRFV can spread quickly in a greenhouse through plant handling. Thus, selecting an effective disinfectant that is capable of deactivating virus infectivity is important. We aimed to identify these effective disinfectants for ToBRFV management in greenhouse tomato production, particularly for total cleaning. A useful disinfectant should be effective against ToBRFV infectivity without major phytotoxic effect on the test plants. In this study, we evaluated 11 disinfectants at various concentrations and assessed their efficacy in ToBRFV treatment on tomato plants that were pretreated with or without SP2700, a known antiviral plant activator of Ningnanmycin. SP2700 treated-plants generated systemic acquired resistance with a delay in symptom expression for 2–3 weeks in comparison to the mock control. Overall, 1% Virocid, 2% Virkon S, 0.25% sodium hypochlorite (5% Clorox bleach), and 2.5% trisodium phosphate (TSP) achieved complete deactivation of ToBRFV with 15 min exposure. However, TSP presented serious phytotoxicity. Our results offer practical solutions to manage this emerging disease affecting tomato production in greenhouses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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18 pages, 2533 KiB  
Article
Cleaning of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) from Contaminated Clothing of Greenhouse Employees
by Jens Ehlers, Shaheen Nourinejhad Zarghani, Bärbel Kroschewski, Carmen Büttner and Martina Bandte
Horticulturae 2022, 8(8), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8080751 - 19 Aug 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4278
Abstract
The highly infectious Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a new viral threat to tomato production worldwide. In production, the very easy mechanical transmissibility combined with the high resistance in vitro is of great concern. We tested: (i) whether household cleaning products, [...] Read more.
The highly infectious Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a new viral threat to tomato production worldwide. In production, the very easy mechanical transmissibility combined with the high resistance in vitro is of great concern. We tested: (i) whether household cleaning products, commercial agricultural detergents, and an authorized plant protectant are suitable for cleaning contaminated clothing, and (ii) whether infectious viruses remain in the resulting cleaning water. The evaluation of the sanitation effect was performed using bioassays, by counting ToBRFV-associated necrotic local lesions on Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi NN. For this purpose, leaves were mechanically inoculated with treated fabrics and cleaning solutions which would normally be discharged to the sewer system. The detergents Fadex H+ (FH) and Menno Hortisept Clean Plus, as well as the disinfectant Menno Florades (MF), led to an almost complete removal of ToBRFV from contaminated fabrics, corresponding to a reduction in local lesions by 99.94–99.96%. In contrast, common household cleaning products (Spee ActivGel (SAG), Vanish Oxi Action Gel (VO) did not effectively remove the pathogen from the fabric, where the reduction was 45.1% and 89.7%, respectively. In particular, cleaning solutions after the use of household cleaners were highly contaminated with ToBRFV. After a 16-h treatment with the disinfectant MF, infectious ToBRFV was no longer present in VO, FH, and MF cleaning solutions, as demonstrated by extensive bioassays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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11 pages, 29814 KiB  
Article
Disinfection Efficacy of Tobamovirus-Contaminated Soil in Greenhouse-Grown Crops
by Aviv Dombrovsky, Netta Mor, Shelly Gantz, Oded Lachman and Elisheva Smith
Horticulturae 2022, 8(7), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8070563 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3368
Abstract
The tobamoviruses tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) have caused severe crop damages worldwide. Soil-mediated dispersion of the mechanically transmitted tobamoviruses constitute a major hindrance toward mitigating disease spread in crops carefully planted under sanitized conditions. [...] Read more.
The tobamoviruses tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) have caused severe crop damages worldwide. Soil-mediated dispersion of the mechanically transmitted tobamoviruses constitute a major hindrance toward mitigating disease spread in crops carefully planted under sanitized conditions. Tobamoviruses are viable for months in soil and plant debris and for more than a year adhere to clay. However, a low percentage of infectious foci occur in soil following a tobamovirus-infected growing cycle, rendering disinfection studies of several contaminated plots inconclusive for large-scale crop productions. We have therefore formulated a rigorous platform for studying disinfectant efficacy in greenhouses by pouring a virus inoculum to planting pits prior to disinfectant treatment and by truncating seedling roots before planting, which was otherwise conducted under sanitized conditions. We have found that chlorine-based Taharan was significantly efficient in preventing disease spread of ToBRFV and CGMMV in tomato and cucumber plants, respectively. KlorBack was often as good as Taharan. In addition, a formulation of chlorinated tri-sodium phosphate used at a nonphytotoxic 3% concentration showed disinfection efficiency similar to Taharan effect on ToBRFV infection only. Our study provided a small-scale platform for disinfectant efficacy evaluation necessary for application in tobamovirus-contaminated soil, which commonly occurs in commercial tomato and cucumber greenhouses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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16 pages, 2318 KiB  
Article
Electrolytic Disinfection of Irrigation Water for Intensive Crop Production in Greenhouses as Demonstrated on Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum Mill)
by Marlon Hans Rodriguez, Uwe Schmidt, Carmen Büttner and Martina Bandte
Horticulturae 2022, 8(5), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8050414 - 06 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2026
Abstract
Shortage of water availability and awareness of the need for sustainable resource management have generated a significant increase in the use of recycled water for irrigation and processing of crops and harvest products, respectively. As a result, irrigation systems face the challenge of [...] Read more.
Shortage of water availability and awareness of the need for sustainable resource management have generated a significant increase in the use of recycled water for irrigation and processing of crops and harvest products, respectively. As a result, irrigation systems face the challenge of neutralizing plant pathogens to reduce the risk of their dispersal and the subsequent occurrence of diseases with potentially high economic impacts. We evaluated the efficacy of an innovative electrolytic disinfection system based on potassium hypochlorite (KCLO) to inactivate major pathogens in hydroponically grown tomatoes: Fusarium oxysporum (Synder and Hans), Rizocthonia solani (Kühn), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV). The electrolytically derived disinfectant was prepared on-site and added to the recirculating fertigation solution once a week for 60 min in an automated manner using sensor technology at a dosage of 0.5 mg of free chlorine/L (fertigation solution at pH 6.0 ± 0.3 and ORP 780 ± 31 mV). Tomato fruit yield and pathogen dispersal were determined for 16 weeks. At the applied dosage, the disinfectant has been shown to inhibit the spread of plant pathogenic fungi and, remarkably, plant viruses in recirculating fertigation solutions. Phytotoxic effects did not occur. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative System for Disinfection in Greenhouses)
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