Managing Seedborne Diseases in Western Forest Nurseries

Conifer seeds are normally contaminated with a variety of different microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic fungi. The fact that many seedling diseases can be caused by seedborne pathogens has been recognized by forest nursery pathologists for many years. The true scope of the problem was not realized, however, until conifer seedlings began to be grown in container nurseries, where the losses are readily apparent (fig. 1).