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Seed-Borne Fungal Pathogens of Leafy Vegetable Crops

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Global Perspectives on the Health of Seeds and Plant Propagation Material

Part of the book series: Plant Pathology in the 21st Century ((ICPP,volume 6))

Abstract

Leafy vegetables are economically important crops, with a relevant role in the diet all over the world, grown worldwide under intensive cultivation systems. In the past few years, in coincidence with the intensification of such cultivations, many new pathogens emerged, causing severe losses. Many of them are seed-borne and their transmission through infected seeds guarantees their rapid spread in different geographic areas. A relatively small percent of contaminated seeds is often sufficient to cause high disease incidence. The leafy vegetable sector is particularly exposed to the risk of the emergence of new diseases as a consequence of its dynamism, the wide range of products, continual innovation in procedures or in products and the use of intensive cultivation techniques that characterize it. Italy, with its very intensive vegetable production, represents indeed a very interesting case study. This chapter will review the situation observed in different production areas, with special reference to Italy. The crops considered are lettuce, wild and cultivated rocket, lamb’s lettuce, chicory, endive, basil and spinach with particular regard to the Fusarium and Verticillium wilt agents as well as emerging leaf pathogens (Alternaria spp., Plectosphaerella cucumerina, downy mildew agents, Cladosporium variabile and Stemphylium botryosum).

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Acknowledgements

The results reported have received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grants agreement n°261752, “PlantFoodSec – Plant and Food Biosecurity, Network of Excellence” and n°311875 “TESTA – Seed health: development of seed treatment methods, evidence for seed transmission and assessment of seed health”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AGROINNOVA, University of Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy

    M. Lodovica Gullino, Giovanna Gilardi & Angelo Garibaldi

  2. DISAFA, University of Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Italy

    M. Lodovica Gullino

Authors
  1. M. Lodovica Gullino
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  2. Giovanna Gilardi
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  3. Angelo Garibaldi
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Correspondence to M. Lodovica Gullino .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. AGROINNOVA, Università degli Studi di Torino, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy

    Maria Lodovica Gullino

  2. Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA

    Gary Munkvold

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Gullino, M.L., Gilardi, G., Garibaldi, A. (2014). Seed-Borne Fungal Pathogens of Leafy Vegetable Crops. In: Gullino, M., Munkvold, G. (eds) Global Perspectives on the Health of Seeds and Plant Propagation Material. Plant Pathology in the 21st Century, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9389-6_4

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