Detection and Identification Methods and Control Techniques for Crop Seed Diseases

Seeds comprise an important way in which plant pathogens are introduced into new areas, and serve as carriers for their survival from one planting season to another. Seed health is a recognized factor in modern agricultural science, and affects ideal plant populations and good harvests. Seed disease is one of the most important biological constraints in seed production worldwide. Effective and rapid detection and identification methods for seed disease comprise an important step in crop management, and a measure to protect seeds from pathogens. The detection of seed diseases is usually divided into three categories: traditional detection, immunological detection, and bioinformatics-based detection. The detection methods used for different types of pathogens also vary. For the prevention and control of seed diseases, appropriate methods should also be adopted, such as physical methods, chemical methods, and biological methods. They can be used alone or in combination to achieve the purpose of disease prevention and control. Therefore, this article reviews some important crop seed diseases, their detection and identification methods, and control techniques, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the comprehensive prevention and effective control of seed diseases.