?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Report+on+seed+born+diseases+in+organic+seed+and+propagation+material&rft.creator=Micheloni%2C+C.&rft.creator=Plakolm%2C+G.&rft.creator=Sch%C3%83%C2%A4rer%2C+H.&rft.subject=Crop+health%2C+quality%2C+protection&rft.subject=+Regulation&rft.description=The+key+questions+which+will+be+addressed+in+this+report+are%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Are+seed+born+diseases+an+important+factor+that+prevents+seed+companies+from+producing+organic+seeds+and+organic+farmers+from+using+them%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Which+seed+treatments+are+available+in+organic+farming%3F+Which+treatments+are+or+will+be+acceptable%3F+To+which+degree+are+they+effective%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Are+the+thresholds+for+seed+born+diseases+different+among+Member+States%3F+Can+this+cause+unfair+competition+among+farmers+and+seed+producers%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+How+did+the+health+status+of+organic+seed+change+in+the+last+years%3F%0D%0AThe+main+answers+may+be+synthesized+as+follows%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Seed+born+diseases+are+an+important+factor+influencing+seed+production+and+seed+use+in+organic+agriculture%2C+but+they+are+not+the+only+obstacle+that+exists+at+the+moment.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Awareness+on+the+importance+of+seed+health+has+increased+considerably%3B+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cconventional%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D+organizations+such+as+ISF+(International+Seed+Federation)+or+ISTA+(International+Seed+Testing+Association)+give+statements+on+seed+health+and+seed+treatments+for+organic+agriculture.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+In+the+last+5+to+10+years+several+methods+and+products+of+non-synthetic+seed+treatments+(physical%2C+microbiological%2C+plant-based+etc.)+have+been+successfully+tested+on+different+host-parasite+combinations+and+are+potentially+available+for+use+in+organic+farming.+However%2C+there+are+no+general+treatments+available+that+are+effective+for+all+host-pathogen+combinations.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Due+to+the+importance+of+seed+health+in+organic+agriculture%2C+it+is+important+that+organically+acceptable+seed+treatments+are+identified+and+authorized+in+organic+seed+production.+This+would+assure+organic+producers+reliable+seeds+for+their+farming+operations.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Besides+legal+restrictions+for+quarantine+diseases+on+seeds%2C+most+of+the+Member+States+have+legal+thresholds+for+seed+born+diseases%2C+which+however+apply+almost+exclusively+to+cereals.+For+vegetables+and+legumes%2C+Member+States+only+have+general+statements+on+seed+health.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Thresholds+for+seed+born+diseases+in+cereals+vary+between+Member+States.+This+may+cause+distortion+in+seed+trade+and+use+as+one+country+may+allow+the+import+(from+another+MS)+of+seeds+that+do+not+fulfill+certification+limits+in+the+importing+country%2C+but+that+are+fully+certifiable+in+the+MS+where+they+are+produced.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Data+on+the+status+of+organic+seed+health+is+available+in+few+countries+only.+It+would+be+very+helpful+if+the+MS+kept+annual+records+of+the+organic+seed-lots%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+health+status+as+it+would+allow+to+monitor+the+presence+of+seed+born+diseases+and+risks+and+act+consequently+on+the+seeds+and+the+crops.+In+general%2C+available+data+for+cereals+does+not+show+a+clear+trend+of+seed+health+development+but+rather+highlights+the+influence+of+climatic+condition.+There+also+appears+to+be+a+general+spreading+of+Tilletia+caries%2C+which+may+increase+with+lower+control+levels%2C+especially+with+of-farm+seed+production.+Spreading+of+seed-born+diseases+is+greater+in+organic+farming+since+few+control+measures+are+available.%0D%0ARecommendations+for+development+of+the+legal+basis+for+organic+seed+production%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Seed+quality+refers+not+only+to+purity+and+germination+parameters+but+also+to+aspects+of+seed+health.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Seed+health+in+organic+production+is+of+crucial+importance+as+healthy+seeds+are+the+basis+for+successful+production%2C+especially+in+organic+farming+systems%2C+where+less+efficient+plant+protection+agents+are+available+for+managing+plant+diseases+and+prevention+is+the+main+key+of+success.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+There+is+a+need+to+define+and+regulate+which+seed+treatments+can+be+permitted+in+organic+farming+(methods+and+products+should+be+listed+in+the+revised+EU+Reg.+2092%2F91+in+annex+II+B)%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+In+order+to+increase+the+availability+of+organic+seeds+and+their+assortment+in+terms+of+varieties%2C+seed+treatments+(accepted+in+organic+agriculture)+should+be+made+possible.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+It+would+be+advisable+that+all+treatments+which+the+seeds+are+subjected+to+are+declared+on+the+label.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Thresholds+for+seed+born+diseases+in+organic+seeds+must+be+strict+and+harmonized+among+Member+States+in+order+to+avoid+the+spread+of+seed+born+diseases%2C+difficult+to+manage+in+organic+farming.+Such+thresholds+must+be+based+on+sound+scientific+basis.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Organic+seed-lots%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+health+status+should+be+monitored+on+a+yearly+basis+by+seed+health+authorities.&rft.date=2007-05&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10937%2F1%2F10937.pdf&rft.identifier=Micheloni%2C+C.%3B+Plakolm%2C+G.+and+Sch%C3%83%C2%A4rer%2C+H.+(2007)+Report+on+seed+born+diseases+in+organic+seed+and+propagation+material.+EEC+2092%2F91+(Organic+Revision+Project+Reports)%2C+D+5.1.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10937%2F