DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.4.4749

2025, 26 (4)   p. 986-994

Camelia MIC (GIURGIU), Laura ȘOPTEREAN, Loredana SUCIU, Ana-Maria VĂLEAN, Adina TĂRĂU, Rozalia KADAR, Marcel DUDA

Abstract

Wheat grains can be infected by a number of pathogens throughout their development, from the initial stages of flowering and pollination and up to the time of harvest, which can lead to quantitative and qualitative deterioration of the seeds. The present study was conducted at Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda, Cluj, Romania, from 2018/2019 to 2022/2023 growing seasons, to evaluate the health status of seeds from six wheat varieties. Using the moist chamber method, the seeds obtained after harvesting were analyzed for the presence of pathogens on the seeds. The pathogens that developed on the seeds were identified macroscopically and microscopically based on their morphological characteristics and the data obtained were quantified and statistically processed. The most present pathogens associated with wheat seeds were Fusarium and Alternaria, known for their mycotoxin production. The results of the study indicate that weather variability, particularly increased temperature and irregular rainfall patterns, has contributed to higher fungal pathogen prevalence in wheat seeds. The highest fungal infection rates were recorded in 2023 (68.8%), coinciding with excessive rainfall. In contrast, 2021 (28.8%) had the lowest infection rates, likely due to drier conditions. This suggests that prolonged wet weather promotes the development and spread of pathogens, while drier years limit it.

Keywords

winter wheat, Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., weather conditions

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