VIEW ARTICLE
Research Control of Dry Seed Decay of Wheat. D. E. Mathre and R. H. Johnston, Department of Plant
Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman 59717. Plant Dis.
75:957-959. Accepted for publication 27 March 1991. Copyright 1991 The American
Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-75-0957. Soils collected from four areas of Montana where wheat is grown under
semiarid conditions were adjusted to moisture levels near or below those
necessary for seed germination. Pondera spring wheat seed was treated with five
commercial fungicides that had previously been screened for activity against a
Penicillium sp. isolated from a seed showing dry seed decay. Treated seed
was placed into soil and stored for 5 wk at 17 C. After incubation, some of the
seed was retrieved and evaluated for visible colonization by Penicillium.
Germination in soil after addition of moisture was also determined. Seed
treatment with any of the materials reduced the level of Penicillium and
increased germination. The addition of Penicillium spores to the soil
resulted in the recovery of higher levels of Penicillium-colonized seed
and reduced levels of germination. Treatment with imazalil provided the best
control of dry seed decay. |