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Forest Nursery Pests: Damping-off

Damping-off is a historical term that refers to the decay of germinating seeds and the stems of young seedlings (Figure 1A). It is also one of the oldest nursery problems—damping-off is the only disease discussed in detail in the classic nursery manual Nursery Practice on the National Forests (Tillotson 1917). Damping-off was considered “the most serious difficulty encountered in raising coniferous seedlings”, and was the subject of one of the first comprehensive nursery pathology studies (Hartley and Pierce 1917). This early research revealed that lowering the pH of nursery soils helped to reduce damping-off losses, which at that time involved applying sulfuric acid directly to the seedbeds—a technique that would be frowned-upon today (Figure 1B).


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Author(s): Thomas D. Landis

Publication: Forest Nursery Notes - 2013 Winter - 2013 Winter Forest Nursery Notes Publications by Article