Efficacy of agricultural disinfectants for Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus decontamination in a commercial vegetable greenhouse

Citation

Ellouze, W., Mishra, V., Howard, R.J. (2018) Efficacy of agricultural disinfectants for Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus decontamination in a commercial vegetable greenhouse. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 40:133-134.

Abstract

An effective greenhouse sanitization programme should lead to a significant reduction or elimination of active and dormant stages of pathogens and pests, as well as to disrupt their life cycles. The objectives of this study were to: (1) test the susceptibility of Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV), an extremely stable Tobamovirus that can cause extensive yield losses in greenhouse cucumbers, to several disinfectants in vitro, and (2) evaluate the relative effectiveness of actual sanitization/disinfection procedures performed in a CGMMV-infested commercial vegetable greenhouse. Various commercial products, including hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium, potassium peroxymonosulfate, and an acid-based cleaner, were tested according to the manufacturer’s label instructions on concrete, metal, wood and plastic surfaces artificially infested with CGMMV in in vitro trials at CDCS. An extensive environmental sampling programme for CGMMV before and after each sanitization step being used in a commercial greenhouse also was undertaken. A Solar-Cult® Pre-moistened Sampling Cellulose Sponge Kit was used for collecting environmental samples from multiple infested hard surfaces within this facility. These samples were analysed for CGMMV presence by relative quantification using ELISA. The effectiveness of the disinfectants was markedly reduced when they were applied under in situ conditions as compared with in vitro experiments. The analysis of samples collected from greenhouse surfaces initially having heavy virus infestations were freed of CGMMV contamination by up to 99% following a combination of pressure washing and applying an alkaline sanitizer with foam twice post-crop removal, as compared with applying the same sanitizer with foam only once prior to disinfection.

Publication date

2018-07-16