Identification of microbial infections in Greek geothermal greenhouses tomato cultivation

¹ University of Thessaly, Department of Environmental sciences, Laboratory of environmental chemistry and human health, Larisa 41500, email: kakavas@uth.gr, Greece, ORCID 0000-0001-8247-0134
² University of Thessaly, Department of Agriculture crop production and rural environment, Laboratory of Phytopathology, Volos, email: vagelas@uth.gr, Greece, ORCID 0000-0002-6102-8432
³ University of Thessaly, Department of Agriculture crop and agrotechnology, Laboratory of Horticultural and Soil Resources, Larisa 41500, email: papachatzis@uth.gr, Greece
⁴ Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, email: andriani12871@sch.gr, Larisa, Greece

^* Corresponding author: kakavas@uth.gr

Abstract

The main object of this work is the identification of possible microbial infections in tomato cultivation in geothermal greenhouses. The hydroponical system, is a “close type” (for fertilization and irrigation water reuse), while at the same time exploiting rainwater collected from the gutters of greenhouses. The purpose of this experimental work is to identify the detection of pathogenic microorganisms (total microbial flora, E. Coli, coliforms, Enterococci and Cl. Perfrigen) in tomato fruits and also to fertigation water used. The main question of this research is about the possibility of contamination of tomato fruits with bacteria. From the microbiological analyses performed it was revealed that populations of E. coli were not detected, while the populations of coliforms identified were within the permissible limits of intestinal bacteria (coliforms >10000), which can be derived and detected in tomato from natural inputs such as of water, soil and insects.