PAW Glastuinbouw EU 1409 23 (BO-25.08-002-003)

Due to the pressure on chemical fungicides there is an increased need to control plant diseases using environmentally friendly methods. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has previously shown that oxidative products (electrolysewater, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide) can effectively contribute to this. Target within this project is to measure the effectiveness of Plasma Activated Water (PAW) against plant diseases in greenhouse horticulture sector. As a first step in the research the biocidal product of PAW is tested in vitro against plant diseases through dose-response and frequency tests. The following tests are planned to test plant reactions such as fytotox and nutritional intake to determine response on above-ground parts of plants and roots (fytotoxtests with young seedlings, misting of lettuce plants). In the final phase practical applications are being developed with PAW under field-based cultivation and post-harvest conditions against a biotrophic and a necrotrophic organism. This project will provide practical knowledge about safe applications of PAW as new, non-chlorine bleach on the disinfection method in the horticultural sector.