What action is recommended to prevent seedling damping-off in seed trays?

What action is recommended to prevent seedling damping-off in seed trays?

• A. Keep seeds in darkness for germination
• B. Use sterile starting mix, provide proper spacing, ensure adequate air circulation, and maintain controlled moisture
• C. Overwater seedlings to ensure moisture
• D. Apply fertilizer immediately after sowing

Answer: (B)

Damping-off is a fungal problem that takes advantage of crowded seedlings, high humidity, and wet, poorly drained media. The most effective prevention combines sanitation, spacing, air movement, and careful moisture control. Using a sterile starting mix minimizes introducing pathogens. Providing proper spacing and ensuring good air circulation around seedlings reduces the humid microclimate that favors fungi. Keeping moisture under control—watering just enough to keep the soil evenly moist and allowing the surface to dry slightly between waterings (ideally with bottom watering or careful, even moisture rather than soggy conditions)—prevents the soggy, crowded conditions that enable damping-off to develop.

Other practices that focus on germination alone, or that promote overly wet conditions or unnecessary nutrients immediately after sowing, don’t address the disease risk in the same preventive way. So the combination of clean media, adequate spacing and airflow, and controlled moisture best guards seedlings in seed trays.