The method is aimed at combating diseases including bacterial spot of tomato, bacterial soft rot of solanaceous vegetables and black rot of cruciferous plants.
According to the researchers, the composition of the solution and the plasma treatment can be adapted to the particular bacterial species being targeted.
According to the University of Gdańsk, the compounds produced are short-lived, meaning that the formulation does not cause toxic residues to accumulate in the environment.
Wojciech Śledź of the University of Gdańsk, who coordinated the research, said the team wanted to develop a new method of fighting plant diseases. “We used cold atmospheric plasma, which makes it possible to give simple water-based solutions of mineral salts antimicrobial properties”, he said.
Śledź added that the team was particularly interested in the fact that the preparations effectively limited the growth of several important plant pathogens, including bacteria subject to mandatory control.
(sp/jh)
Source: PAP