Effects of organic seed treatment methods on spring barley seed quality, crop, productivity and disease incidence

Abstract

Low energy electrons (electron treatment), aerated steam (thermal treatment) and a bacterial product Cedomon containing Pseudomonas chlororaphis (bacterial treatment) were selected for the trial as the most popular seed treatment methods in Western and Northern Europe. This trial was aimed to evaluate the effect of treatments on seed sanitation, crop and disease development and yield parameters. Two spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars 'Luokė' and 'Alisa DS' were investigated during 2014-2015 under the conditions of Central Lithuania. Low energy electron treatment was found to exert a negative effect: the mean yield decrease was 20% compared to the control. The yield reduction resulted from the inefficient seed sanitation and reduced field emergence compared to the control. Thermal treatment increased the yield by an average of 35%, viz. in 2014 by 58% and in 2015 by 13%. The yield increase was influenced by very efficient seed sanitation in the first year but not in the second year. Bacterial treatment with Cedomon increased the yield by an average of 3%. This treatment improved neither seed health nor crop stand density in 'Luokė'; however, it had a positive effect on the seeds of 'Alisa DS' in both experimental years. Improved seed health increased grain yield in 'Alisa DS', while poor seed health decreased yield in 'Luokė'. None of the seed treatment methods tested showed consistent and unquestionable results. The yield increase depended mainly on the improved seed health, thus the main strategy to produce stable yield is seed health testing of the lots intended for use in organic agriculture.Please use the following format when citing the article: Liatukas Ž., Supronienė S., Ruzgas V., Leistrumaitė A. 2019. Effects of organic seed treatment methods on spring barley seed quality, crop, productivity and disease incidence. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, 106 (3): 241-248.

Application of Barley Tweaky Spike Mutants for the Study of Effects of Plant Immunity-Related Substances

“…In internal grain tissues of all tested barley genotypes, the prevailing fungus in the spectra was Bipolaris sorokiniana (teleomorph: Cochliobolus sativus) (Figure 4). This agrees with recent publications on fungal spectra in barley grains in the Baltic region [49,50]. B. sorokiniana causes severe diseases and significant yield losses mainly in warm humid growing regions; nevertheless, it has spread towards the Northern Hemisphere [6,51].…”

Hot Water Treatment as Seed Disinfection Techniques for Organic and Eco-Friendly Environmental Agricultural Crop Cultivation

“…The main effect of these methods is seed sanitation, while not affecting the growing part of plants after seed germination. Liatukas et al (2019) [87] reported that bacterial treatment with Cedomon increased the yield of two varieties of barley, Luok ė and Alisa DS, by an average of 3%. This treatment improved neither seed health nor crop stand density in the Luok ė variety; however, it had a positive effect on the seeds of Alisa DS in the experimental years 2014 and 2015.…”

The use of Pseudomonas spp. as bacterial biocontrol agents to control plant diseases

“…Field trials in Sweden (Johnsson et al, 1998), Finland (Lötjönen and Torniainen, 2005) and Lithuania (Liatukas et al, 2019) have revealed that P. chlororaphis MA 342 can effectively control seedborne cereal pathogens that are present on the seed or near the seed coat such as Pyrenophora spp., but does not control seedborne pathogens like the loose smut Ustilago nuda that are located in the seed embryo. There is no effect either against soilborne diseases or leaf diseases.…”

“…Average yield increases in spring barley range between 2% and 5%, but there are strong differences between cultivars. In field trials in Lithuania, seeds of the cultivar 'Alisa DS' were effectively sanitized by the use of Cedomon, leading to yield increases of 5-15%, while this was not observed on the cultivar 'Luoke' (Liatukas et al, 2019). Field experiments in Finland have revealed that Cedomon could control net blotch (Pyrenophora tera) in barley nearly as well as chemical products and increased yield with 200-300 kg.…”