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Potential pathogens of common caraway (Carum carvi L.) seeds and search for measures suppressing their spread.

2012; Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry; Volume: 99; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

2335-8947

R. Mačkinaitė,

Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions

The potential pathogens of cultivated and wild common caraway (Carum carvi L.) seeds of 2001–2004 harvest were studied. Ripe seeds were collected in various localities of Biržai, Kaunas, Raseiniai, Silutė, Ukmergė, Varėna and Vilnius districts in June–July. The fungi of 18 species and 14 genera attributable to potential pathogens, the agents of plant spots, wilts and rots, were identified in common caraway seeds. They were detected in almost all seed samples each year and their frequency of occurrence amounted to up to 44.0% in total. The fungi of Alternaria genus prevailed and their isolates accounted for 86.9% of the total amount of potential pathogens. Among other potential pathogens Phoma spp., Phomopsis diachenii, Stemphylium botryosum, Ascochyta biforae, Fusarium avenaceum, Botrytis cinerea were detected more frequently. Although the occurrence of some potential pathogens was not very high, in the individual seed samples their incidence was quite high and could be important for the spread of diseases in caraway crops. The potential pathogens ascertained in the seeds of cultivated and wild caraway had very high qualitative and quantitative similarity; however, they differed significantly between years and localities. Aggressive strains (Fusarium avenaceum 11212 and Phoma anethi 11201) were ascertained in pathogenicity test of fungi, detected in common caraway seeds. They affected caraway seedlings in vitro. The common caraway variety ‘Kancevitskij’ was the most resistant to these pathogens. In pot trials, infected plants exhibited a poorer over-winter survival and produced seeds of lower quality. Because the application of chemical measures in common caraway crops is problematic, the use of resistant varieties, accumulating higher contents of essential oils and antagonistic bacteria might be an advisable alternative for the control of seed-borne pathogens.