title: Copper treatment during storage reduces Phytophthora and Halophytophthora infection of Zostera marina seeds used for restoration.
abstract: Restoration is increasingly considered an essential tool to halt and reverse the rapid decline of vital coastal ecosystems dominated by habitat-forming foundation species such as seagrasses. However, two recently discovered pathogens of marine plants, Phytophthora gemini and Halophytophthora sp. Zostera, can seriously hamper restoration efforts by dramatically reducing seed germination. Here, we report on a novel method that strongly reduces Phytophthora and Halophytophthora infection of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seeds. Seeds were stored in seawater with three different copper sulphate concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 2.0 ppm) crossed with three salinities (0.5, 10.0, 25.0 ppt). Next to reducing seed germination, infection significantly affected cotyledon colour: 90% of the germinated infected seeds displayed a brown cotyledon upon germination that did not continue development into the seedling stage, in contrast to only 13% of the germinated non-infected seeds. Copper successfully reduced infection up to 86% and the 0.2 ppm copper sulphate treatment was just as successful as the 2.0 ppm treatment. Infection was completely eliminated at low salinities, but green seed germination was also dramatically lowered by 10 times. We conclude that copper sulphate treatment is a suitable treatment for disinfecting Phytophthora or Halophytophthora infected eelgrass seeds, thereby potentially enhancing seed-based restoration success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland research (IWWR), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen (GELIFES), Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Govers
authors.affiliation: Altenburg &Wymenga Ecological Consultants, Suderwei 2, 9269 TZ Veenwouden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Els M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: van der Zee
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO-NL), Post Office Box 9102, 6700 HC Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Meffert
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO-NL), Post Office Box 9102, 6700 HC Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patricia C J
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: van Rijswick
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO-NL), Post Office Box 9102, 6700 HC Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Man In 't Veld
authors.affiliation: The Fieldwork Company, Stockholmstraat 2B, 9723 BC Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jannes H T
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Heusinkveld
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland research (IWWR), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjisse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van der Heide
mesh_terms: D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism*; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000382:microbiology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000378:metabolism*; D018525:Germination; D009868:Oomycetes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D035962:Zosteraceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D019327:Copper Sulfate