Effects of crop rotation, pesticides and fertilizers on wheat seed contamination with seed-borne Fusarium pathogens

Abstract

The effects of previous crop, fertilizers and pesticides on wheat seed contamination with seed-borne Fusarium pathogens were studied in field experiment. It was found that the Fusarium incidence statistically significantly depend on the previous crop. In case of wheat as the previous crop average Fusarium incidence was 65.0%. Fallow based crop rotation reduced average Fusarium incidence to 54.2%. Applying pesticides during vegetation statistically significantly reduced incidence of Fusarium from 76.7 to 53.3% in case of wheat as the previous crop but was not effective in case of fallow. Fertilizers significantly reduced incidence of Fusarium from 68.3 to 40.0% in case of fallow but had no effect in case of wheat as the previous crop. Basing on the results of our experiment we can recommend the use of fallow in crop rotation scheme as a way to reduce contamination of wheat seeds with seed-borne Fusarium.