Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Influence of seed health conditions on a following oat seed generation grown in organic farming

Author(s):

Petr Konvalina ¹ *, Ivana Capouchová ², Evženie Prokinová ², Hana Honsová ¹, Zdenĕk Stehno ³, Dagmar Janovská ³, Martin Káš ³, Jan Moudrý jr. ¹, Jan Moudrý ¹

Recieved Date: 2012-06-20, Accepted Date: 2012-10-03

Abstract:

Our research has been aimed at an evaluation of the influence of seed health conditions on biological characteristics of seeds and a following seed generation (it was demonstrated on a model crop - oat). Exact small-plot trials were established on three different experimental certified organic parcels in the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2011. Two varieties of hulled oat and two varieties of naked oat were used. A rate of grain contamination with microscopic fungi was studied and assessed before seeding and after harvest of the seeds. A method of isolation of micromycets on cultivation media was applied in order to assess the contamination rate. As for the biological characteristics, energy of germination, germination, energy of emergence and emergence were studied and evaluated in the framework of the research. The results showed that the seed origin has no influence neither on the health conditions of the emerged plants nor on the rate of the microscopic fungi contamination of the following seed generation. The hulled oat caryopses were more seriously affected by Fusarium spp., Alternaria spp. and Penicillium spp. Such a less serious affection of the naked oat caryopses might be explained by a harvest of the caryopses rid of hulls, which are inclined more often to contamination with pathogens. The influence of the seed health conditions on the seed’s biological characteristics has not been proved via correlation analysis. However, Penicillium spp. usually contributes to a reduction of the germination ability. Farm saved seeds might be recommended to farmers in case of a deficiency of certified organic seeds and a ban of application of conventional untreated seeds. However, the use of farm saved seeds has to be done carefully and meet strict requirements.

Keywords:

Organic farming, seed, contamination with fungi, biological traits of seed, naked oat, hulled oat

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 784-788

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