Possibility of using seed treatment to suppress seed-borne diseases in poppy

Abstract

In experiments using Petri dishes in the laboratory and pots in a greenhouse and climate chamber, we examined the influence of seed treatment on emergence of poppy. Four types of fungi (Alternaria spp., Dendryphion penicillatum, Fusarium spp., and Penicillium spp.) were detected on poppy seeds, with the highest infection rate being 72% for D. penicillatum. Surface disinfection decreased infection rate chiefly in D. penicillatum (by 32%) and in Alternaria spp. (by 16%). Seed treatment increased emergence by 9–10% in laboratory experiments but by only 0–6% in greenhouse experiments. Temperature plays an important role in emergence. In climate chamber experiments at a stable temperature of 12°C, the seed treatments increased emergence by 8–16%.