The Impact of Sugar Beet Seed Pelletization on the Proliferation of Nematophagous Fungi.

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Citation abstract

Pelleting seeds to enhance sowing conditions through the incorporation of pesticides or fertilizers has become a prevalent agricultural practice. This study sought to evaluate the effect of pelletized seeds and the substances they release in the form of an extract on four species of nematophagous fungi. The fungus Pleurotus ostreatus was the most sensitive to the presence of pelletized seeds; the growth of all three evaluated strains of P. ostreatus was inhibited from 42.84 to 94.33% compared to the control. In the case of the fungi Stropharia rugosoannulata and Orbilia oligospora, a statistically significant inhibition of the growth of all three evaluated strains was observed, though this inhibition was less pronounced than in the case of P. ostreatus. In contrast, the inhibitory effect on the fungus Clonostachys rosea exhibited a lower inhibition of mycelial growth (0.65-20.41%) compared to the control. The selection of suitable strains of nematophagous fungi tolerant to substances used for seed pelletization could assist in the management of nematodes. The inoculum of nematophagous fungi can be used in sugar beet sowing as a supplement, but fungi should not be used as part of the seed coatings because their viability is most inhibited in direct contact with fungicides.