Distribution frequency and incidence of seed-borne pathogens of some cereals and industrial crops in Serbia

Abstract

A total of 41 species of fungi were isolated from seed samples of barley, maize, soybean, and sunflower collected at different locations in Serbia. The majority of detected species occurred on barley (35 of 41 species or 87.8%) comparing to soybean (17 of 41 species or 41.5%), sunflower (16 of 41 species or 39.0%) and maize (15 of 41 species or 36.9%). Species belonging to genera Alternaria, Chaetomium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Penicillium and Rhizopus were present on seeds of all four plant species. Alternaria species were dominant on soybean, barley and sunflower seeds (85.7%, 84.7% and 76.9%). F. verticillioides and Penicillium spp. were mainly isolated from maize seeds (100 and 92.3% respectively), while other species were isolated up to 38.5% (Chaetomium spp. and Rhizopus spp.). F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, F. poae and F. sporotrichioides were the most common Fusarium species isolated from barley (51.1-93.3%), while on the soybean seeds F. oxysporum (71.4%), F. semitectum (57.1%) and F. sporotrichioides (57.1%) were prevalent. Frequency of Fusarium species on sunflower seeds varied from 7% (F. equiseti, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans) to 15.4% (F. verticillioides). Statistically significant negative correlation (r = -0.678*) was determined for the incidence of F. graminearum and Alternaria spp., as well as, Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp. (r = -0.614*), on barley seeds. The obtained results revealed that seedborne pathogens were present in most seed samples of important cereals and industrial crops grown under different agroecological conditions in Serbia. Some of the identified fungi are potential producers of mycotoxins, thus their presence is important in terms of reduced food safety for humans and animals. Therefore, an early and accurate diagnosis and pathogen surveillance will provide time for the development and the application of disease strategies.

Ukupno je izolovana 41 vrsta gljiva iz uzoraka zrna ječma, kukuruza, soje i suncokreta, koji su prikupljeni u različitim lokalitetima u Srbiji. Najveći broj gljiva je utvrđen na zrnu ječma (35 vrsta ili 87,8%) u odnosu na zrno soje (17 vrsta ili 41,5%), suncokreta (16 vrsta ili 39,0%) i kukuruza (15 vrsta ili 36,9%). Vrste rodova Alternaria, Chaetomium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Penicillium i Rhizopus su utvrđene na zrnu sve četiri biljne vrste. Vrste roda Alternaria su dominirale na zrnu ječma (99,5%), suncokreta (52,9%) i soje (50,0%). F. verticillioides (do 92,0%) i Penicillium spp. (do 57,0%) su najčešće izolovane vrste sa zrna kukuruza, dok su ostale vrste izolovane do 38,5% (Chaetomium spp. and Rhizopus spp.). F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, F. poae i F. sporotrichioides su najčešće Fusarium vrste izolovane sa zrna ječma (51,1-93,3%), dok su na zrnu soje dominirale F. oxysporum (71,4%), F. semitectum (57,1%) i F. sporotrichioides (57,1%). Učestalost Fusarium vrsta na zrnu suncokreta je varirala od 7% (F. equiseti, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans) do 15,4% (F. verticillioides). Na zrnu ječma utvđena je statistički značajna negativna korelacija između intenziteta napada F. graminearum i Alternaria spp. (r = -0,678*), kao i između Fusarium spp. i Alternaria spp. (r = -0,614*). Dobijeni rezultati pokazuju da su patogene gljive učestale i u visokom intenzitetu pojave prisutne na zrnu važnih žita i industrijskog bilja gajenih u različitim agroekološkim uslovima u Srbiji. Neke od identifikovanih gljiva su potencijalni proizvođači mikotoksina i njihovo prisustvo je važno zbog smanjene bezbednosti hrane za ljude i životinje. Stoga, rana i pouzdana identifikacija patogenih gljiva i procena njihovog značaja u proizvodnji kukuruza, strnih žita i industrijskih biljaka, omogućuje da se pravovremeno razvije i primeni strategija za njihovo suzbijanje i ublažavanje šteta.