Control of seed-borne pathogens on legumes by microbial and other alternative seed treatments

Greenhouse trials were carried out in order to test the efficacy of different seed treatments as alternatives to chemicals against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum cause of anthracnose on bean and Ascochyta spp. cause of Ascochyta blights on pea, respectively. Resistance inducers, commercially formulated microorganisms, non-formulated selected strains of different microorganisms (fungi, bacteria and yeasts) and plant extracts were applied as dry or liquid seed treatments on naturally infested seeds. Seedling emergence and disease incidence and/or severity were recorded. Almost all seed treatments turned out to be ineffective in controlling the Ascochyta infections, which is in line with the literature stating that these pathogens are difficult to control. The only alternative treatments that gave some control of Ascochyta spp. were thyme oil and a strain of Clonostachys rosea. The resistance inducers tested successfully controlled infections of bean by C. lindemuthianum. Among the formulated microorganisms, Bacillus subtilis-based formulations provided the best protection from anthracnose. Some strains of Pseudomonas putida, a disease-suppressive, saprophytic strain of Fusarium oxysporum and the mustard powder-based product Tillecur also proved to be effective against bean anthracnose. However, among the resistance inducers as well as among the other groups, certain agents caused a significant reduction of plant emergence. Different alternative seed treatments can therefore be used for the control of C. lindemuthianum on bean, while on pea only thyme oil and a strain of Clonostachys rosea showed some effectiveness against Ascochyta spp.     

Evaluation of non-chemical seed treatment methods for the control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina on carrot seeds

The current study was initiated to evaluate the efficacy of physical methods (hot water, aerated steam, electron treatment) and agents of natural origin (resistance inducers, plant derived products, micro-organisms) as seed treatments of carrots for control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina. Control of both Alternaria species by seed treatment with the resistance inducers was generally poor. Results were also not satisfactory with most of the formulated commercial micro-organism preparations. Based on the average of five field trials, one of these, BA 2552 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis), provided a low but significant increase in plant stand. Among the experimental micro-organisms, the best results were obtained with Pseudomonas sp. strain MF 416 and Clonostachys rosea strain IK726. A similar level of efficacy was provided by seed treatment with an emulsion (1%) of thyme oil in water. Good and consistent control was generally achieved with the physical methods aerated steam, hot water and electron treatment. Aerated steam treatment was, apart from the thiram-containing chemical standard, the best single treatment, and its performance may at least partially be due to extensive pre-testing, resulting in dosages optimally adapted to the respective seed lot. In some of the experiments the effect of the hot water treatment, which was tested at a fixed, not specifically adapted dosage, was significantly improved when combined with a Pseudomonas sp. MF 416 or C. rosea IK726 treatment. The results are discussed in relation to the outcome of experiments in which the same seed treatment methods and agents were tested in other seed-borne vegetable pathosystems.     

Evaluating interspecific wheat hybrids based on heat and drought stress tolerance

Three durum and three bread wheat genotypes were crossed to produce three tetraploid, three hexaploid and nine interspecific (pentaploid) F₁ hybrids. All genotypes were evaluated for heat tolerance in the field and for drought using polyethylene glycol in vitro. Chromosome numbers and meiotic behavior in pentaploid F₁ hybrids (2n=5x=35, genomes AABBD) were confirmed. Heat stress significantly reduced grain yield/plant and 1000-kernel weight (1000-KW), while grain protein content (GPC) was increased. Drought caused a significant reduction in root length, shoot length and seedling fresh weight, whereas root/shoot ratio was increased. P₃ (durum), P₄ (bread) and their pentaploid F₁ hybrid could be considered as the most heat-tolerant genotypes. However, P₂ (durum), P₆ (bread) and their F1 were most tolerant to drought. The addition of a D genome single dose into pentaploid F1 hybrids obviously reduced grain yield/plant, 1000-KW and seedling traits, however GPC was increased. Moderate to high broad-sense heritability and genetic advance were obtained for the most investigated traits. Grain yield/plant was strongly positively correlated with stress tolerance index (STI), yield index (YI), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP) and harmonic mean (HM) under heat stress and with root length under drought condition, suggesting that STI, YI, MP, GMP and HM are powerful indices for heat tolerance, while root length is most effective for drought. Successful interspecific hybridization obtained in the study is only an initial step for desired genes introgression. Successive progenies are going to be evaluated for further genetic studies aiming at improving abiotic stress tolerance in wheat.     

Evaluation of non-chemical seed treatment methods for the control of Phoma valerianellae on lamb’s lettuce seeds

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The aim of the present study was to identify seed treatment methods for eradicating Phoma valerianellae from lamb`s lettuce seeds in organic vegetable...