INCOTEC and the Holland-based Naktuinbouw Laboratories have joined forces in a co-operation agreement and offer seed health analysis to seed producers and companies worldwide.

Fungus cultures, cultured on selective agar media

INCOTEC, worldwide market leader in seed and coating technology with facilities in The Netherlands, Japan, United States, Brazil, India and sales offices in Spain, Italy, Israel and Chile will offer and promote the Naktuinbouw disease assays.

This is an additional service and will strengthen our existing product range such as eXccit.

Incotec is now able to offer a complete package through the testing of seed for the presence of seed transmitted diseases and the eventual treating of the seed lot to eradicate or suppress the pathogen on a number of crops. Naktuinbouw is the official quality inspection institute for planting material in horticulture in the Netherlands and responsible for the official quality inspections based on National and EU regulations.  Naktuinbouw is furthermore world leader in health testing of vegetable seed.

Laboratory tests used in the isolation and detection of various seed transmitted plant pathogens, are reliable means for assessing the health status of your seed propagating material. Naktuinbouw Laboratories has the expertise and facilities required to perform such tests with sound results. Classic together with highly advanced techniques based on scientific research to perform the assays are employed.

In the laboratories at Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands, (photo right) many different standard techniques to detect pathogens are utilised, such as ELISA, (return) electrophoresis, immunofluorescence (IF) and plating of bacteria and fungi on media; but also the modern molecular biological methods, like the DNA-based PCR (polymerase chain reaction) are applied.

The following disease assays are included in the INCOTEC disease assays product range:

The Research & Development team at the Naktuinbouw continually adapt and evaluate new tests and assays developed by universities and scientific institutes for practical use.  Many of the tests and assays are performed as recommended by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and the International Seed Health Initiative (ISHI). 

Expert representatives of INCOTEC will be able to keep you informed and answer your requests.

Photos: top left: sample preparation.
Top right: microscopic evaluation for the detection and identification of fungal pathogens on a seed lot.
Left: Immunofluorescence (IF).  Microscopic view of a positive IF sample of a bacterial pathogen isolated from an infected seed lot.

Below, tailor made remedial actions to specific seed transmitted pathogens are presented. These remedial actions are all grouped under the product name eXccit.

Crop and seed transmitted pathogen	INCOTEC solution
Brassica
Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris	EXccit Brassica
Xanthomonas campestris pv armoraceae	EXccit Brassica
Carrot
Xanthomonas campestris pv.carotae	EXccit Carrot
Leek
Pseudomonas syringae pv. porri	EXccit Leek
Pepper
Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria	EXccit Pepper
Tomato
Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis	EXccit Tomato
Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria	EXccit Tomato

eXccit was developed a number of years ago to specifically target Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris on brassica seed.  Through the years the process has been adapted to include and treat various other crops and to target more than Xanthomonas spp. alone.