ABSTRACT
ThetermseedpathologywasfirstusedbyPaulNeergaardandMaryNoble inthe1940s.Althoughthescienceofseedpathologyhasexistedforover100 years,theterminitiallywasusedforseedtestingtechnology.Atthattimestandardizedproceduresoftestingforseedgerminationandpurityhadbeenestablished,buttechniquesfordetectionofseedbornepathogenswereneeded,although thefactthatseedpathologywasmorethanatestingtechnologywaswellunderstood.1Seedpathologymaybedefinedasthestudyofseedbornediseasesand pathogens.Itincludesstudiesonthemechanismsofinfection,seedtransmission, theroleofseedborneinoculumindiseasedevelopment,techniquesfordetection ofseedbornepathogensandnonpathogens,seedcertificationstandards,deteriorationduetostoragefungi,mycotoxinsandmycotoxicoses,andcontrolofseedborneinoculum.Seedpathologyincludesthestudyofdiseasesanddeterioration causedbybacteria,fungi,nematodes,viroidsandviruses,andphysiologicaland mechanicaldisordersofseeds.
