Saving seed from diseased plants

TZ-OH6 · August 4, 2009

Which diseases do you have to be worried about when saving seeds? I have a single plant of a variety that got wiped out by some sort of wilt disease and I'm trying to decide if I should save seeds from the fruit that will ripen soon (and bleach dip the seeds), or just toss it all.

dice · August 4, 2009

Most of the "seed-borne disease" documentation fails to
distinguish whether the disease is on the outside of the
seed (in which case fermentation may kill it, TSP may
separate it from the seed, and chlorine bleach should kill
it either way) or if it infects the germplasm inside the seed
coat (in which case you would need some kind of heat or
chemical treatment that would penetrate the seed coat
and kill the pathogen without killing the seed).

Some virii (Pepino), bacterial, and fungal diseases are reported
to be seed-borne, but I still do not know if a bleach soak will
necessarily kill them. (Are they on the seed or in the seed?)

habitat_gardener · August 5, 2009

I'd save the seed and continue to research the question.

One data point: Last year's Black Cherry produced only a handful of fruit, and it got browned hard stems. The whole plant was only a foot or two high. I saved seeds anyway. This year's plant, from that seed, is the healthiest looking one in my garden, loaded with fruit. (The flavor is not up to par, but I think I've been overwatering, and it's still early in the season.)

dice · August 5, 2009

If disinfecting them with bleach, saving them, and growing them
yourself, the only risk of a seed-borne disease surviving the
bleach process is your own. Trading seeds from diseased
plants, even if disinfected with bleach, however, is gambling
with someone else's garden. That should be deprecated.

August 4, 2009	#1
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 848	Saving seed from diseased plants Which diseases do you have to be worried about when saving seeds? I have a single plant of a variety that got wiped out by some sort of wilt disease and I'm trying to decide if I should save seeds from the fruit that will ripen soon (and bleach dip the seeds), or just toss it all.

August 4, 2009	#2
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Most of the "seed-borne disease" documentation fails to distinguish whether the disease is on the outside of the seed (in which case fermentation may kill it, TSP may separate it from the seed, and chlorine bleach should kill it either way) or if it infects the germplasm inside the seed coat (in which case you would need some kind of heat or chemical treatment that would penetrate the seed coat and kill the pathogen without killing the seed). Some virii (Pepino), bacterial, and fungal diseases are reported to be seed-borne, but I still do not know if a bleach soak will necessarily kill them. (Are they on the seed or in the seed?) __________________ -- alias

August 5, 2009	#4
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	If disinfecting them with bleach, saving them, and growing them yourself, the only risk of a seed-borne disease surviving the bleach process is your own. Trading seeds from diseased plants, even if disinfected with bleach, however, is gambling with someone else's garden. That should be deprecated. __________________ -- alias

August 5, 2009	#3
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I'd save the seed and continue to research the question. One data point: Last year's Black Cherry produced only a handful of fruit, and it got browned hard stems. The whole plant was only a foot or two high. I saved seeds anyway. This year's plant, from that seed, is the healthiest looking one in my garden, loaded with fruit. (The flavor is not up to par, but I think I've been overwatering, and it's still early in the season.)