IMPACT OF FUNGICIDE TREATMENTS APPLIED TO WHEAT CROP (Triticum aestivum L.) ON SEED PATHOGENS

Effectiveness of fungicide treatments during vegetation is recognized as important conditioning factor for the health of wheat crops. Furthermore, quantity and quality of the harvested grain are fundamentally affected by the health state of the crop during vegetation. Aim of this research was to identify the influence exercised by a gradient of fungicide treatments applied to wheat crop on seed mycosis susceptibility after harvest. Seeds belonging to three wheat cultivars (‘Andrada’, ‘Codru’, ‘Exotic’) that received a number of 0-3 fungicide treatments with some commonly used commercial products during vegetation (Credo, Evolus, Acanto Plus), were screened for germination rate, Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sp. incidence. Overall seed germination frequency was 96%, Alternaria sp. frequency was 8.78% and Fusarium sp. frequency was 2.25%. Seeds from the crop that received three fungicide treatments during vegetation displayed 5.38% higher seed germination relative to control, decrease of Alternaria sp. frequency of 60.94% and decrease of Fusarium sp. frequency of 57.10% relative to control. Results suggest a decrease of seed mycotic load associated with increased number of fungicide treatments applied on the crop. Optimization of fungicide application might be possible by studying the influence of phenophase on the effectiveness of the treatments, and these aspects shall receive more attention in the future.