The Incidence of Pathogenic Fungi in Northern Ireland Barley and Oat Seed Samples

Abstract

SUMMARYForty‐six samples of seed oats and 40 of barley, from lots being sown in Northern Ireland in 1970, were examined for seed‐borne fungi by five methods. Two of the oat samples and 20 of the barley samples were found to have been disinfected. All the remaining 44 oat samples were contaminated with Pyrenophora avenae, the cause of leaf spot and seedling blight, and in 32 of these the fungus was mercury‐tolerant.The general level of contamination of both oats and barley with Fusarium spp. was low although 23 per cent of the seeds in one oat sample were contaminated with F. nivale, the cause of brown foot rot and ear blight.Twelve of the 20 non‐disinfected barley samples carried Pyrenophora teres the cause of net blotch at levels up to 76 per cent. Ustilago nuda the cause of loose smut was present in 15 of the 40 barley samples, the highest figure for infection being 3 per cent