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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #129608
Title: FORMULATION OF WHEAT SEED BIOCONTROL INOCULA TO PREVENT GERMINATION LOSSES AND ENHANCE SUPPRESSION OF TAKE-ALL

Author
item Slininger, Patricia - Pat
item Shea Andersh, Maureen

Submitted to: Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/2/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Biological agents for controlling root diseases of wheat are most efficiently applied as seed inocula, but seed coatings formulated with biological control agent cultures often have the side effect of inhibiting seed germination. Factors present in seed coating formulations (including culture medium ingredients, viable rhizobacteria, and accumulated antibiotics) were examined to determine their impact on seed germination. Results indicated that a combination of two or more of these factors was needed to bring about a significant germination loss. Based on these findings, a formulation method was designed with the following benefits: the presence of all of these factors without seed germination loss, early protection of the seed from disease by the presence of disease-suppressive antibiotics produced during biocontrol agent cultivation, and the prolonged cell viability and shelf-life of the seed inocula. These findings contribute fundamental knowledge that will guide strategies of producing and formulating seed inocula to allow economical disease suppression without seed germination loss.