OZONE CAN BE USED TO PREVENT ERWINIA DESTROYING
FOUNDATION STOCK OR CROP
Erwinia, a massive potential problem for hydroponics, greenhouses and nurseries in
South Africa.
WILKIPEDIA DESCRIPTION
Erwinia is a genus of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria containing mostly plant
pathogenic species which was named for the famous phytobacteriologist, Erwin Frink
Smith. It contains gram negative bacteria related to Escherichia
coli,Shigella, Salmonella and Yersinia. They are primarily rod-shaped bacteria.
Many infect woody plants. A well-known member of this genus is the species E.
amylovora, which causes fire blight on apples, pears, and other Rosaceae crops; E.
tracheiphila on the other hand causes bacterial wilt of cucurbits. Other familiar species,
such as E. carotovora (another major cause of plant diseases), are more distantly related
to the fire blight bacterium, and been moved to
genera Brenneria, Dickeya and Pectobacterium.[1]
It is generally accepted that chlorine dosing at 5 ppm will destroy
Erwinia but chlorinated water cannot be used for irrigation.
Ozonated water can be used to water crops and at 3 ppm will destroy
Erwinia more effectively and in less time than chlorine.
OZONE INJECTED IN TO THE MAIN RAW WATER FLOW AT THE CORRECT DOSAGE
RATE AND TIME WILL KILL ERWINIA.
OZONE TREATMENT OF RECYCLED WATER AT CORRECT DOSAGE WILL KILL
ERWINIA
OZONATED WATER AT CORRECT PPM OZONE
USED FOR RINSING TOOLS, PIPING AND
CONTAINERS IS AN EXTREMELY EFFICIENT
DISINFECTANT AND WILL LEAVE NO HARMFUL
RESIDUE
During warm summer months, reports of bacterial
soft-rot caused by Erwinia are especially acute
throughout the greenhouse industry. Soft rots are
common in greenhouse vegetable liner production
and are known for affecting cauliflower, cabbage,
spinach, cucumber, and tomato. In the production of herbs, the disease may have limited
expression during crop growth, but the bacteria can rapidly colonize wounds that may have
occurred during handling and shipping.
Ornamental tropical foliage crops such as dieffenbachia, aglaonema, syngonium, and cactus
are very susceptible to soft rot; potted flowering plants and cut flowers frequently have their
shelf-life shortened, but landscape plants are less susceptible once they have adapted to
soils containing populations of Erwinia. However, damage can be extensive when landscape
plant cuttings are being rooted.
Movement of Erwinia in irrigation water
Clean water shortages are reaching critical levels in many areas of the country. Most aquifer
and well systems are utilized by municipalities and agriculture. Competition for a limited
supply of clean water has led water management districts to encourage alternative water
sources for agricultural users. Recycled irrigation, collected storm water runoff, and retention
ponds have all been proposed. Many of these alternatives have found successful application
in the timber industry and field-grown crop production.
However, in greenhouse growing systems, any introduction of untreated surface water, or
recycled nursery water, could potentially introduce plant diseases into container-grown plants.
This is especially true of bacteria, such as Erwinia soft rot.Erwinia populations are naturally
prevalent in native soils, and any water collection system will contain, and concentrate, the
bacteria.
We conducted a study to determine population levels of Erwinia found in retention ponds and
lakes. We examined eight nursery retention ponds and four large hypereutrophic lakes in
Central Florida for Erwinia bacteria populations. Nurseries participating in this study produced
herbs, perennials, annuals, bedding plants, and woody landscape plants. Within these
crops, Erwinia is considered to be problematic during propagation, trimming, or production
under environmentally hot and wet periods.
To conduct the study, water samples were taken from one dozen surface-water sources once
a month, for a year. Bacteria were isolated onto test tube media that are designed for
detecting Erwinia. Sizes of Erwinia populations were statistically compared between lakes,
retention ponds, and between retention ponds that were being used to collect and recycle
water within a nursery.
From the study we found that nurseries, which were actively reutilizing water in retention
ponds had significantly higher populations of Erwinia. Average concentrations of bacterial
cells were 34, 11, and 11 per liter in recycled nursery water, nonrecycled, and lake water,
respectively. In extreme cases, populations ofErwinia in recycled water were as high as 290
cells per liter of water. Ninety-nine percent of the Erwinia, from sources isolated in this study,
were found to be pathogenic when placed onto a susceptible host plant. As waste water
reuse becomes an alternative resource for the nursery industry, water-purification systems
will be needed for disease control. Acquiring such a system will be especially critical for
growers of susceptible crops.
Identifying and controlling soft rot
Most growers are familiar with the fishy smell that’s released as Erwinia breaks down plant
tissue. If this diagnostic odor is not evident, an individual plant can be placed in a plastic bag
for a few hours; if Erwinia is present, the smell can easily be noted when the bag is opened.
Once the first symptoms of soft rot occur in a production facility, disease spread can be rapid,
and crop losses extensive. Symptoms may appear anywhere on the plant, with water-soaked
lesions appearing on leaves, and soft rots on stems
and plant crowns.
Erwinia cells have flagella (tails) scattered over their
surface membranes. These flagella are used by
bacteria to swim through wet soil and over plant
surfaces. However, the primary mechanisms of
movement within a greenhouse facility are splashing
water, contaminated tools, and soil and insects.
When bacteria come in contact with a susceptible
plant, they enter through small wounds caused by
handling, or by insects. For Erwinia to digest the
plant host, they must exude both pectolytic and
celluloytic enzymes. Pectolytic enzymes break down
the pectin substances that hold plant cells together,
while celluloytic enzymes break down the cellulose
of the plant cell walls. Once plant cells are broken
down, the bacteria easily absorb the host nutrients.
If no wounds are present for entry, Erwinia can
survive on plant surfaces without the plants
expressing symptoms. High humidity and moisture
on the leaf trigger the release of bacterial digestive
enzymes that can break down plant tissue.
Greenhouse production managers will note that the
most severe soft rot outbreaks occur during warm
summer months, when both temperature and
humidity are high. But outbreaks are also common in
the middle of winter, when production facilities are
airtight and humidity is high.
In summer, shade cloth or white paint can be used to
reduce greenhouse temperatures. In addition,
watering should be done in the morning to limit the amount of time foliage remains wet.
Erwinia bacteria also readily colonize and infect damaged roots. Improper fertilization and
high salt levels can cause initial damage to roots, which bacteria may exploit.
Free draining soil or media is vital to ensuring water and nutrients flow through the root zone,
and total soluble salts should be monitored. Symptoms of plant wilt, and death, will be similar
to those seen with the fungal rot diseases caused byPhytophthora, Fusarium, or Rhizoctonia.
There are no compounds that can rid infected plants of Erwinia; although, bactericides
containing copper can help slow the spread of the pathogen. Antibiotics have been
recommended, but the bacteria adapt and populations become resistant within a matter of
weeks.
Control of Erwinia is based almost exclusively on sanitation and cultural recommendations.
In areas where water shortages have been more critical, and recycled or reclaimed water is
being applied, plant pathogens have been controlled by using sand filtration, ozone, UV
sterilization, or chemical treatment, such as chlorine and bromine.
The following sanitation and cultural guidelines will help control Erwinia within a production
facility:
 Lower inoculum levels. Leaves showing symptoms, and infected plants, must be
removed and discarded immediately to lower the bacterial count and amount
of Erwinia present in a production facility.
 Use surface disinfectants. Ozonated water or disinfectants such as bleach or
quaternary ammonium compounds should be used on clipping shears, tools, and
benches between plantings.
 Avoid soil additives. Erwinia can grow and persist within soil; therefore, nonsterlized
native soil should not be added to the planting media.
 Lower humidity levels. Increasing both ventilation and plant spacing can lower humidity
and help decrease the spread and severity of infestations.
 Decrease watering. Lowering the frequency and amount of watering will help slow the
spread of Erwinia. If economically possible, drip irrigation would further help by
eliminating leaf surface moisture and lowering humidity.
Knowing how Erwinia can gain access, persist, and move about in a facility is important to its
control.