Saving seeds from a diseased plant?

[RT_Peasant]

Hi, I had a tomato plant this year that I was hoping to save seeds from. It fell victim early on to a disease, but it looks like it's still going to produce some ripe tomatoes! Can I safely save seeds from these tomatoes, or are the seeds likely to carry the disease with them? I can already guess what the answer will be, but I'm hoping it will be "it depends on the disease."

I've attached some pictures of the affected plant. FWIW, the disease struck the top leaves first, early in the season (barely past Memorial Day), and from the outer-most leaves inwards.

[joseph]

From a philosophical point of view, I don't like to save seeds from plants that are susceptible to disease in my garden. I figure that in the long term I will get a healthier population if I save seeds from unaffected plants. On the other hand, the disease is already in your garden, so you might as well save seeds from the plant.

[bcday]

A good many problems are not diseases at all. If the plant is suffering from some physiological problem, such as too hot, too cold, too much or not enough water, too much or too little of some nutrient, or maybe a container that is too small for the size of the plant -- then there is no reason to worry about whether it is safe to save the seeds.

You really need to get a diagnosis first. And even if the plant does have some serious disease, many diseases are not passed on if the seed is treated appropriately.

[KarenO]

I think that unless it is a very special and irreplaceable specimen, I would only save seed from healthy fruit from healthy plants. just my opinion but I secretly hope that everyone who participates in the wonderful seed swaps on TV feels the same way.
KarenO

[simmran1]

I do feel the same way.
If a plant succumbs to disease in my garden, it's likely to be a 'susceptible' plant.
I can say that because I don't have the 'soil-borne' diseases prevalent, and I have no gardens nearby. I have organic replenished soil, good air flow, good drainage and I keep most weeds pulled. So with a good environment I expect good results. Right now I have one plant with spotted wilt, (in a container). That open pollinated plant has set tomatoes and I won't be saving seeds for myself or... There are soo many great O-P's and heirloom tomato plants to bother with disease prone varieties. No rant- just my opinion.

[bcday]

Originally Posted by simmran1

Right now I have one plant with spotted wilt, (in a container). That open pollinated plant has set tomatoes and I won't be saving seeds

If by "spotted wilt" you mean TSWV, Tomato spotted wilt virus, that is no longer considered a seedborne disease.

A Cornell U. publication says "The virus is present only in the seed coat and not in the embryo. Seed transmission is thus not considered important for disease spread." http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...pottedWilt.htm

And UC Davis says "This virus is not seedborne and it is not spread by contact; it is only spread from plant to plant by thrips." http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r604100911.html

If you have a plant that is infected with TSWV, you are harboring a virus reservoir. Saving the seeds is safe. Keeping the infected plant itself, even in a container, is not.

Some bacterial and fungal diseases can be carried over from one season to the next by plant debris that remains in the soil. This "debris" can include seeds as well as infected leaves and stems. That's why I eliminate volunteer seedlings if I find any. Fallen fruit has to be cleaned up and disposed of at the end of the season along with all the other debris. However, seeds that have been properly processed and dried are unlikely to carry these diseases. The pathogens are destroyed during processing or die from dehydration during storage.

[Lee]

bcday,

Thanks for the added information.

Lee