Seed Wheat Treatment

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31967, 19 April 1969, Page 10

Seed Wheat Treatment

Last season three crops of wheat were found infected with stinking smut or bunt. In recent years (because of bulk-handling techniques) there has been an increase in the number of farmers retaining their own seed wheat. Some of this has been sown without treatment with fungicides. . This situation can only lead to further outbreaks of stinking smut.

Control of this disease can be achieved by dusting or slurry-treating the seed wheat with one of a number of fungicides commercially available for this purpose. | Seed wheat can be treated i by mobile seed cleaning contractors or the seed can be' taken to a merchant’s store for this to be done. All seed wheat sold by merchants Is treated. With the Increase in use of seed wheat grown on the farm there has been a slight increase in the amount of loose smut in wheat. This disease is controlled by hot-1 water' treatment, which is an initial step in the certifies- 1 tion of seed wheat. Thus the. use of certified seed is recom-1 mended, because through this, scheme both loose and stink-1 ing smuts are controlled. If farmers want to keep their own seed then they should ensure that no loosesmutted heads are present in crops to ba saved for seed.

This is best achieved by a thorough inspection of the crop just after flowering. A new and promising development is the use of systemic fungicides for the control of loose smut of wheat. These chemicals are applied evenly to the outside of the seed.

As the seed germinates and the seedling grows, the chemicals become absorbed into the plants and kill the hyphae of the loose smut fungus as it grows within the developing seedling. A num-

oer or tests were completed last season but further evaluation is required before definite recommendations can bi made and use approved by the Agricultural Chemicals Board.

The writer of the accompanying item on treatment of seed wheat is Dr R, C. Close, of the Plant Diseases Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at Lincoln.