The effect of seed health of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) on germination capacity

The analysis of seed health and germination capacity of 7 varieties of Lolium perenne, originated from two breeding station and two seed company localized in different places of Poland, harvested in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were performed. Results of mentioned analysis indicated that seeds were contaminated by numerous species of fungi. The most numerous group of fungi were saprophytes or weak parasites such as: Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum nigrum, Septonema chaetospira and Penicillium spp. Pathogenic species were represented by species of Drechslera, Fusarium, Phoma, Curvularia lunata and Bipolaris sorokiniana. Seed germination capacity was influenced by contamination of fungi. It was found that seed more often contaminated by fungi germinated much poorer then seed with lower infection

Long-time storage effect on the seed heaLth of spring barley grain.

Seeds of 5 cultivars of spring barley, originated from field experiments conducted in 2000 at Radzików, were tested immediately after harvest and after three, four and five years of storage in uncontrolled conditions, for incidence of seed-borne fungi with special regard to “field fungi” (Bipolaris sorokiniana and Fusarium spp.) and "storage fungi" (species of Penicillium and Aspergillus). The studies showed that barley seeds were infected before storage by numerous fungi as well as the saprophytes: Alternaria alternata, Acremonium spp., Acremoniella atra and the pathogens: Bipolaris sorokiniana and ten Fusarium species. The analysis after storage showed that the frequency of fungal infection had changed. The occurrence of some fungi was significantly affected by the period of storage..

The Response of the Associations of Grass and Epichloë Endophytes to the Increased Content of Heavy Metals in the Soil

The rapid development of civilization increases the area of land exposed to the accumulation of toxic compounds, including heavy metals, both in water and soil. Endophytic fungi associated with many species of grasses are related to the resistance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses, which include heavy metals. This paper reviews different aspects of symbiotic interactions between grass species and fungal endophytes from the genera Epichloë with special attention paid to the elevated concentration of heavy metals in growing substrates. The evidence shows the high resistance variation of plant endophyte symbiosis on the heavy metals in soil outcome. The fungal endophytes confer high heavy metal tolerance, which is the key feature in its practical application with their host plants, i.e., grasses in phytoremediation

Occurrence of ergot in seed lots of grasses harvested in different regions of Poland

The ergot (Claviceps purpurea) incidence in seed samples of Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, L. multiflorum, Festuca rubra and F. pratensis cultivars originating from different regions of grass cultivation in Poland was detected in 1999 – 2002. Each year, about hundred twenty cultivars of different species were tested. It was found that number of seed replaced by sclerotia significantly varied and depended on the year of seed harvest, species and cultivar tested and region of grass grown for seed. The highest level of Claviceps purpurea sclerotia almost for all grass species was detected in 1999. The highest number of seed replaced by sclerotia was found in sowing material of Poa pratensis for all years of testing. Ergot in seed lots of L. multiflorum and F. pratensis were detected at trace levels. Differences in susceptibility to Claviceps purpurea among cultivars were observed. However, significant variation in occurrence of ergot sclerotia were noted for the same cultivar harvested in different region of Poland. It was found that size of sclerotia depended on the host - grass species and the year of seed harvest. Significant differences  were noted particularly in the length and weight of sclerotia

Amenity Grasses—A Short Insight into Species, Their Applications and Functions

This article presents perennial grasses, without whose presence it is impossible to imagine the natural environment as well as agriculture, recreation, sport, and satisfactory aesthetics of the environment. Grasses have by far the widest distribution of all flowering families, grow on every continent, and are part of all the major biomes of the terrestrial world. They not only occur in almost all types of natural landscapes but also find a prominent place in the agricultural landscape. Grasses are not only a source of food for people (wheat, rice, maize, millet, etc.) and feed for livestock, but also a source of energy, building materials, a component of paper pulp, etc. Moreover, grasses have numerous uses to enhance the beauty of the surrounding landscape, bring relaxation, health, and comfort to people (i.e., gardens, parks, and sports facilities), and support land protection. This article describes just these, not often mentioned, and characterized grass uses, with an emphasis on the relationship between different species of perennial grasses and their functionality. The aim is to show the various aspects of the amenity use of grasses in the context of species diversity and their future under the conditions of a changing climate

The Fungal Communities on Spring Wheat Seeds From Different Environmental Conditions

Seeds of ten cultivars of spring wheat from five different localized breeding stations were tested for seedhealth. The same seeds were sown in Radzików in field experiment and its seed health after harvest was evaluatedalso. The basic material of wheat was infected by numerous fungi: 36 fungal species belonging to 24genera and the most often occurred: Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum purpurascens, Fusarium spp.,Drechslera spp. and B. sorokiniana. It was found significant differences between cultivars for total fungioccurred on seeds, for seed infection by main pathogens (B. sorokiniana, Drechslera spp. and Fusariumspp.). Also seeds from breeders were strongly infected by these pathogens in comparison to seeds harvested infield experiment in Radzików.

Estimation of the seed health of sowing material of grasses in dependence of selected seed treatments

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu wybranych zapraw nasiennych na zdrowotność nasion traw: kostrzewy łąkowej i życicy trwałej z trzech kolejnych lat zbioru, otrzymanych od hodowców. Materiał do badań stanowiły nasiona czterech odmian kostrzewy łąkowej (Festuca pratesis) i czterech odmian życicy trwałej (Lolium perenne). Badano materiał siewny traktowany czterema zaprawami: dwie biologiczne Bioczos (ekstakt z czosnku) i Polyversum (oospory grzyba Pythium oligandrum) i dwie chemiczne Maxim (substancja aktywna: fludioksonil) i Vitavax (substancja aktywna: karboksyna i tiuram) oraz nasiona niezaprawiane, powierzchniowo odkażone podchlorynem sodu. Nasiona badanych gatunków i odmian były licznie zasiedlone przez grzyby zarówno saprotroficzne: Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Epicoccum purpurascens i Penicillium spp. jak i patogeny: Fusarium spp. oraz Drechslera spp. i Bipolaris sorokiniana. Stwierdzono, że zastosowanie zapraw chemicznych, zwłaszcza użycie zaprawy Vitavax wpływa pozytywnie na poprawę zdrowotności wyrażoną liczbą kolonii grzybowych, w tym głównych patogenów. Nie obserwowano jednak znaczącej poprawy zdolności kiełkowania badanych nasion.The aim of the study was to determine the effect of selected seed treatments on the health of grass seeds: meadow fescue and perennial ryegrass from three years of harvest, obtained from breeders. The material for the research was the seeds of four varieties of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) and four varieties of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Seed material treated with four treatments: two biological Bioczos (garlic extract) and Polyversum (oospores of the fungus Pythium oligandrum) and two chemical Maxim (fludioxonil) and Vitavax (carboxin and thiuram) and the untreated grain, surface disinfected with sodium hypochlorite. Seeds of the studied species and cultivars were colonized by both saprotrophic fungi: Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Epicoccum purpurascens and Penicillium spp. as well as pathogens: Fusarium spp., Drechslera spp. and Bipolaris sorokiniana. It was found that the use of chemical treatments, especially the use of Vitavax, has a positive effect on the improvement of seed health expressed by the number of fungal colonies, including the main pathogens. However, no significant increase in the germination capacity of the tested seeds was observed

Influence of bio-waste from digestate of biogas plant on yielding and chemical composition of biomass of perennial grasses

Celem badań była ocena przydatności bioodpadu z pofermentu biogazowni jako nawozu organicznego stosowanego w uprawach traw wieloletnich na cele energetyczne. Analizy dotyczyły porównania efektywności nawożenia substancją organiczną, odpadową, uzyskaną z profermentu biogazowni z tradycyjnie stosowanym nawożeniem mineralnym  NPK (100-100-120 kg/ha). Materiał do badań stanowiły wybrane gatunki traw wieloletnich: kostrzewa trzcinowa, kostrzewa łąkowa, życica trwała oraz perz wydłużony. Doświadczenie polowe założono w Radzikowie, na glebie kl. IV, średniozwięzłej, a obserwacje dotyczyły wigoru, wysokości roślin oraz plonu i składu chemicznego uzyskanej biomasy. Wyniki doświadczenia wskazują, że efekt plonotwórczy zastosowanego nawozu jest widoczny tylko w I i II roku użytkowania badanych traw wieloletnich. Równocześnie stwierdzono wpływ nawożenia na wzrost zawartości jonów żelaza w biomasie życicy trwalej w 2-gim roku uprawy oraz nie obserwowano różnic w zawartości pozostałych pierwiastków oznaczanych w biomasie badanych traw w zależności o poziomu zastosowanego nawożenia.The aim of the research was to assess the usefulness of bio-waste from the biogas plant digestate as an organic fertilizer used in the cultivation of perennial grasses. The analyzes concerned the comparison of the effectiveness of fertilization with examined organic matter, obtained from the digestate of the biogas plant, with the traditionally used mineral fertilization NPK (100-100-120 kg/ha). The research material consisted of selected species of perennial grasses: tall fescue, meadow fescue, perennial ryegrass and tall wheatgrass. The field experiment was set up in Radzików, on soil class IV, medium-compact, and the observations concerned vigor, plant height and chemical composition  and biomass yield. The results of the experiment indicate that the effect of yielding for the applied granulate is visible only in the 1st and 2nd year of use of the tested perennial grasses. No significant effect of treatment applied were found in case of chemical composition of biomass at the 2nd year of experiment, except increased iron contents in Baronka biomass along with increasing organic fertilization

Is the vertical transmission of Neotyphodium lolii in perennial ryegrass the only possible way to the spread of endophytes?

Endophytic fungi live their whole life within host tissues usually without any visible symptoms. Their vertical transmission (seed-plant-seed) has been well described and documented. However, horizontal transmission (plant-plant) needs more clarification. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which endophytes move vertically in ecotypes of perennial ryegrass and whether there is evidence for the horizontal transmission of endophytes. Ecotypes from grasslands in Poland were collected in the form of living plants and used for vertical transmission analysis. Plants, the seed collected from these plants and plants grown from this collected seed were tested for endophytic infection. Provided that all produced seeds were viable and able to germinate and produce seedlings, the vertical transmission of Neotyphodium endophytes in perennial ryegrass ecotypes was nearly complete. For the horizontal transmission experiment, endophyte-hosting plants (E+) and endophyte-free plants (E-) of four cultivars were planted in the field in close proximity on small plots that were frequently mown. These studies revealed that after 7 months of growth next to E+ plants, the characteristic Neotyphodium spp. mycelia were found in E- plants, which was especially true for plants growing in close proximity to the infected plants. The occurrence of horizontal transmission of endophytes has not been previously demonstrated

The relationship between endophyte infection rate of seeds (Se) and plants (Ee).

<p>Regions: POD – Podlaskie. SWK – Świętokrzyskie. MAZ – Mazowieckie.</p