[Effect of plant diseases and plant pests on phytohygienic safety of compost].
During the last years the production of compost made from separately collected organic waste heavily increased (about 7.5 mio tons) and is supposed to continue increasing. For the use of those products in crop cultivation high demands on the quality and especially on the freedom from phytopathogenic organisms has to be met. Regarding investigations published up to now on the ability of plant seeds and phytopathogenic organisms to survive the decomposition process, it can be deduced that composting under optimal conditions usually may ensure substantial freedom from phytopathogenic organisms. There remains the need for further research as to the stability of heat-resistant viruses, of viruses with fungal vectors and of quarantine organisms. Data on the effect of anaerobic digestion to phytopathogens are also lacking. A monitoring program to check composts produced on an industrial scale for freedom from phytopathogenic organisms is proposed. Some provisions of the German 'Bioabfallverordnung' dealing with phytosanitary aspects are critically discussed.
Pfeilstetter
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Biologische Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Abteilung für nationale und internationale Angelegenheiten der Pflanzengesundheit, Braunschweig.
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D010935:Plant Diseases; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012307:Risk Factors