Effect of fungicide thiram on microbial communities of rice seed surface estimated by culture-dependent and culture-independent (PCR-RFLP) methods

Coating of rice seeds with fungicide Thiram improved the seed germination capability over a long period of time (11 weeks) under low temperature conditions (4 and 8°C), which simulated the sowing of rice seeds in the winter season (the farmer's slack season). To analyze the effect of Thiram on the community structure of microorganisms on the rice seed surface, culture-dependent and culture-independent (PCR-RFLP) methods were applied. PCR-RFLP patterns of 16S rDNA showed that the bacterial communities on the rice seed surface were different between coated and uncoated treatments under 8°C conditions, but that they were very similar under 4°C conditions. PCR-RFLP patterns of 18S rDNA revealed the remarkable effect of Thiram on the fungal community structure under both 4 and 8°C conditions. Although the fungal communities were quite different between coated and uncoated seeds at the beginning of incubation, the fungal communities on the coated seed surface became similar to those of uncoated seeds along with the duration of the incubation period. As the dominance percentage of Fusarium spp. among the isolates increased with the duration of the incubation period for both coated and uncoated seeds, Fusarium was considered to be a responsible for the poor germination of rice seeds that were sown in the winter season.