Abstract

A two-factor field experiment was carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture during the period 2005-2008. The influence of different tillage and fertilization practices on wheat grain fungal contamination was evaluated. Grain surface contamination and internal grain infection with fungi were quantified using agar tests. Purified colonies were identified using different manuals. A total of 16 fungal genera were identified in spring and winter wheat grains. Alternaria infected 46.3% - 99.9%, Cladosporium 26.9% - 77.8%, Fusarium 0.9% - 37.1%, Penicillium 1.3% - 2.5% of grains tested. Winter wheat grain surface contamination by fungi ranged from 7.2 × 103 to 24.8 × 103 of colony forming units per g of grain (cfu g-1), spring wheat from 14.8 × 103 to 80.3 × 103 cfu g-1. No-tillage increased winter wheat grain infection by Alternaria, Aspergillus and Cladosporium species and total count of cfu g-1 on spring wheat grain surface. High fertilizer rates resulted in an increase in spring wheat grain infection by Fusarium and Penicillium species and total count of cfu g-1 on both spring and winter wheat grain surface.;

Highlights

  • Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops and a staple food worldwide.In Lithuania, winter wheat prevails and occupies more farmland than any other crop

  • Treatment primary tillage pre-sowing tillage conventional tillage deep ploughing (23−25 cm) spring tine cultivation (4−5 cm) reduced tillage shallow ploughing (14−16 cm) spring tine cultivation (4−5 cm) no-tillage no tillage direct drilling combined with rotary cultivation not fertilized no fertilization moderate rates mineral NPK fertilizers according to soil nutrient status and expected yield

  • Alternaria, Fusarium and Cladosporium species were detected in all spring wheat grain samples in 2006, Nigrospora and Trichoderma were present only in 2006, Aspergillus and Pyrenophora only in 2007−2008

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Summary

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops and a staple food worldwide. Some Alternaria species are (opportunistic) plant pathogens that, collectively, cause a range of diseases with economic impact on a large variety of important agronomic host plants including cereals, well known as post-harvest pathogens (Thomma 2003) Under certain conditions they may produce mycotoxins such us tenuazonic acid, alternariols and others (Scudamore, 2000). The effect of conventional and reduced tillage systems on FHB and wheat foliar diseases combined with the other agronomic practices is presented by researches; the information about this effect on the total fungal contamination of cereal grains is rather scanty; the data about fertilization influence are limited. This study was designed to explore the influence of different tillage and fertilization practices on winter and spring wheat grain contamination by fungi, potential cereal pathogens, or other contaminants such as mycotoxin producers or allergens for humans and farm livestock

Materials and methods
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