Seeds of diseased plants

Blake_HTX · June 21, 2016

So my plants came down with what I think is bacterial spot/spec. They're still growing and producing and the tomatoes still turn out ok. But I took some cuttings from parts of the plants that weren't infected yet, they've been rooting in a jar of water for the last 8 days and one is starting to show the same specs/spots. I figured this would've happened but it led to me to think about the seeds i've been saving from these plants.. Would they be compromised as well?

Patihum · June 21, 2016

Bacterial speck, spot and canker can all be seed born. Bacterial spot can be removed from seeds by hot water treatment.

Blake_HTX · June 21, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patihum

Bacterial speck, spot and canker can all be seed born. Bacterial spot can be removed from seeds by hot water treatment.

I will look into that. If the water is too hot though, won't it kill the seed?

KarenO · June 21, 2016

My personal practice and I think it is sound advice in all cases is not to save seed from any diseased plant. Seed is pretty easy to come by, especially OP seed and certainly if anyone intends to send seeds to anyone else. For your own personal use, if the variety is important to you then it is up to you. The other trouble is that by saving seeds from diseased plants we are perpetuating that trait of disease susceptibility in future generations. Conversely by saving seed from healthy plants, especially plants that seem to be unaffected by problems besetting other plants in the same garden you are selecting for disease resistance even if in an informal way, which can be very valuable down the road.
KarenO

brownrexx · June 22, 2016

I would not risk saving seeds from diseased plants. I only have a short growing season for tomatoes and I would not want to risk losing my plants.

Even if it's a small risk, it would not be worth it to me.

Also, if I were you, I might select a variety that is resistant to Bacterial spot for next year and not perpetuate one that has already proved problematic.

joseph · June 22, 2016

I think that technically, it may be better to save seeds from infected plants, because then you know that the plant had the infection and survived. With an unblemished plant, we can't know whether or not the plant was infected. It could be random chance that caused it to miss getting infected.

Blake_HTX · June 22, 2016

Yeah for the most part I started saving seeds before I really noticed they were diseased. Now its really noticeable and im wondering if i should just toss them. thanks for the insight.

**carolyn137** · June 22, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patihum

Bacterial speck, spot and canker can all be seed born. Bacterial spot can be removed from seeds by hot water treatment.

True, and then there are many threads here about that hot water treatment and most conclude let the commercial sources do it but don't try it at home.

It's also well known that some of the soilborne pathogens such as the various fusarium serotypes as well as Verticillium and some others can be seedborne and again,lots of threads here about that it terms of the best ways to get rid of most,never all,of those on the seed coat.

Carolyn

June 21, 2016	#1
Blake_HTX Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 37	Seeds of diseased plants So my plants came down with what I think is bacterial spot/spec. They're still growing and producing and the tomatoes still turn out ok. But I took some cuttings from parts of the plants that weren't infected yet, they've been rooting in a jar of water for the last 8 days and one is starting to show the same specs/spots. I figured this would've happened but it led to me to think about the seeds i've been saving from these plants.. Would they be compromised as well?

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June 21, 2016	#2
Patihum Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Southeast Kansas Posts: 878	Bacterial speck, spot and canker can all be seed born. Bacterial spot can be removed from seeds by hot water treatment.

June 21, 2016	#4
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	My personal practice and I think it is sound advice in all cases is not to save seed from any diseased plant. Seed is pretty easy to come by, especially OP seed and certainly if anyone intends to send seeds to anyone else. For your own personal use, if the variety is important to you then it is up to you. The other trouble is that by saving seeds from diseased plants we are perpetuating that trait of disease susceptibility in future generations. Conversely by saving seed from healthy plants, especially plants that seem to be unaffected by problems besetting other plants in the same garden you are selecting for disease resistance even if in an informal way, which can be very valuable down the road. KarenO

June 22, 2016	#5
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I would not risk saving seeds from diseased plants. I only have a short growing season for tomatoes and I would not want to risk losing my plants. Even if it's a small risk, it would not be worth it to me. Also, if I were you, I might select a variety that is resistant to Bacterial spot for next year and not perpetuate one that has already proved problematic.

June 22, 2016	#6
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I think that technically, it may be better to save seeds from infected plants, because then you know that the plant had the infection and survived. With an unblemished plant, we can't know whether or not the plant was infected. It could be random chance that caused it to miss getting infected.