Inoculum

An inoculum is infectious material capable of causing disease. It may consist of fungal spores, bacteria, viruses, or other dormant forms of pathogens present in the soil, on seeds, on tools, or on plant debris. The greater the amount of inoculum, the higher the risk of disease. One of the most important aspects of prevention is limiting sources of inoculum. In practice, this means using healthy seeds and seedlings, cleaning containers and tools, and removing infected plant debris.