GERANIUM BACTERIAL BLIGHT
DO'S & DON'TS
by Dr. Steve Nameth, OSU, Plant Pathology
- Always purchase culture-indexed / certified disease- free
stock material from a reputable producer.
- Never intermix material from different producers until you are
sure the material is Bacterial Blight-Free. In other words, quarantine
incoming material until you are sure it is disease-free.
- Never grow Ivy geraniums in baskets over your zonal geraniums.
They could harbor Bacterial Blight and not show symptoms, and water
dripping down from them onto your other geraniums can carry the
disease.
- Run a clean operation. Get rid of weeds and algae. The insects
that feed on these plants can move the disease from an infected plant
to a healthy one.
- Restrict the number of people walking through your green house
and restrict their paths. Both of these actions will help eliminate
disease spread if it does occur.
- Train your employees to recognize the symptoms of Bacterial
Blight, and have them notify you as soon as they see something
suspicious.
- When in doubt, have you plants tested. If you suspect you have
Bacterial Blight, don't guess, have your plants tested. That way you
know for sure. The OSU Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic can run a test
for a fee.
Not any one of these will guarantee that your will prevent
Bacterial Blight in this years geranium crop, but in combination,
applying these simple and inexpensive policies will go a long way
toward growing a Bacterial Blight- free crop.
