|
Check Wheat Seed For Germination, Use Seed Treatments If Necessary | |
|
In some lots, seed treatment increased germination by 10 to 20 percent. In other lots, however, a marginal effect of 1 to 5 percent or no effect was seen. On average, germination after seed treatment has been 84 percent. Cindy Finneseth, seed testing specialist |
By Laura Skillman PRINCETON, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2004)
– Growing conditions for Kentucky’s 2003-04 winter wheat resulted in much of
the crop sustaining damage by Fusarium head blight that can result in
substandard germination rates for planting this fall. Farmers
should have their wheat seed checked for germination rates if they are not
buying certified seed to ensure that seed quality is sufficient to produce good
stands. Many
substandard germination rates can be improved by use of cleaning and seed
treatments. These fungicide treatments are most frequently applied by a
certified seed conditioner, but some on-farm formulations are available, said
Don Hershman, Based
on samples sent to the UK College of Agriculture’s Division of Regulatory
Services’ seed-testing laboratory, a number of seed lots are showing
substandard germination. Low germination in most seed lots appears to be caused
by Fusarium infection. Ninety percent of the seed lots sent to Samples
tested at the lab come from individual farmers as well as seed dealers, she
said. The bulk of the samples are from industry. Fungicide
seed treatments can have a substantial effect on limiting the impact of Fusarium
on seed germination. This year, Growers
may be tempted to use infected seed and adjust planting rates. This is risky
unless the grower is certain that untreated seed germination is near the 84
percent germination standard, she said. Increasing seeding rates of low
germination seed is unlikely to result in acceptable stands. In
addition to seed from this year’s crop, the seed lab has also tested lots
carried over from the 2002-03 wheat production year. These lots are showing less
quality problems due to head scab but may have other issues such as storage
conditions that affect the overall quality and germination of the seed,
Finneseth noted. There
is concern by some producers that planting infected seed this fall may increase
the risk that head blight will be higher this spring, said Don Hershman, UK
Extension plant pathologist. There
is no relationship between Fusarium levels in seed and the amount of head blight
that will occur the following spring, he said. Seed
infection is exclusively a germination/stand consideration. This is because
spores that infect wheat heads in the spring and cause head blight, originate
from infested crop residue, primarily corn, and not seed or seedlings of the
current wheat crop. If
weather conditions are highly conducive to spore production and infection next
spring, serious infection is likely to occur even in fields planted with
Fusarium-free seed the previous fall. Conversely, if the weather does not favor
either situation, low levels are likely even if seed planted had high levels of
infection. The
bottom line, Hershman said, is that there is no reason to fear planting seed
with high levels of Fusarium as long as germination rates, either before or
after treating seed, are acceptable. Anyone
with questions about wheat seed testing, should contact their local
-30- Writer: Laura Skillman 270-365-7541 ext. 278 Sources: Cindy Finneseth, 859-257-2785; Don Hershman, 270-365-7541 ext. 215 Return to Main News page. |