The incidence of fusarium foot-rot occurrence on the winter wheat cultivars Roma and Sakwa was examined in the years 2001–2003. Strict plot experiments were set up by the method of random sub-blocks in Tomaszkowo near Olsztyn. Fungicides were applied on the growing plants during the periods of shooting and heading. The control plots were sprayed with water. The sanitary state of leaf sheaths was evaluated at heading phase (GS 55). The symptoms of fusarium foot-rot were examined at the phase of milky maturity (GS 75) and waxy maturity of grain (GS 87). The study aimed at assessing the average index of infection of the winter wheat stem base caused by the species of Fusarium genus, assessing the vulnerability of the Roma and Sakwa cultivars to these fungi and determining the effectiveness of pesticides in control of fusarium foot-rot. Fusarium foot-rot (Fusarium spp.) of winter wheat dominated on the winter wheat stem base. Most of the examined stems were severely infected. The Roma cultivar was more susceptible to infection by Fusarium fungi than the Sakwa cultivar. The effectiveness of fungicides in controlling fusarium foot-rot on the winter wheat was satisfactory, but largely depended on the cultivar and weather conditions. Mirage 450EC and Sportak Alpha 380EC fungicides were the most effective. The species F. culmorum and F. avenaceum dominated in the fungal populations colonizing the stem base of winter wheat with visible symptoms typical of fusarium foot-rot.

Nanotechnology is a manipulation of nature that has emerged through the use of basic sciences, material science and engineering at the nano-scale. The interaction between biological environment and nanoparticles-nanoparticles or nanoparticles-organic materials is not yet well-understood. The toxic effects of nanoparticles on plants were investigated and it was proved that they caused morphological and physiological changes in plants. This study aimed to determine the effects of TiO -TiO₂Ag nanoparticles, and co-application of EDDS-TiO₂Ag nanoparticles alone, co-application of ZnO nanoparticles- Ag nanoparticles on seed germination, seedling vigor, radicle and plumule elongation of two different wheat species. In the experimental stage, ten seeds were placed in petri-dishes with a double layer of fi lter paper which was used as an inert material. Then 5 mL of TiO₂Ag, ZnO+TiO₂Ag, and EDDS+TiO₂Ag suspensions were added to every petri dish. Results showed that the maximum SVI was determined at the concentration of 50 mg∙L^-1 TiO₂ Ag+EDDS for bread wheat and the minimum SVI was observed at 100 mg∙L^-1 TiO₂Ag nanoparticles concentration for durum wheat. The effect of both nanoparticles-nanoparticles interaction and the other chemicals-nanoparticles interaction on the ecosystems should be evaluated.

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of leaf wetness period and air temperature on development of disease symptoms caused by Puccinia recondita on winter wheat. The experiments were carried out in growth chamber at the Institute of Plant Protection in Poznań. Seedlings of a susceptible winter wheat cultivar Mikon, were artificially inoculated with urediniospores of P. recondita and incubated in temperature of 15 and 20°C. The period of duration of leaf wetness varied from 2 to 14 hours. Disease symptoms on seedlings at 20°C appeared 7 days after inoculation. Reduction of temperature to 15°C resulted in the elongation of latency period to 8 days. The relationship between leaf wetness period and disease symptoms severity was also observed. The gratest number of urediniospores in both tested temperatures were observed on plants exposed to 14 hours of leaf wetness. In temperature of 20°C 4 hours of wetness duration was enough to guarantee infection and the appearance of P. recondita pustules, whereas in 15°C at least 10 hours of wet period was needed to cause disease symptoms development. The experimental results were used to produce two equations describing relation between leaf wetness and symptoms development in tested temperatures.

Plants under attack of herbivores can emit increased amounts of volatile compounds from their leaves. Similarly, mechanically-injured plants can emit volatile chemicals that differ both quantitatively and qualitatively from undamaged plants. In this experiment, mechanical injury increased the release of the secondary metabolites linalool (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol) and linalool oxide (5-ethenyltetrahydro-2-furanmethanol) by wheat plants. The amounts released varied significantly with injury type and the period of time after injury. The time interval for the volatile collection within the photophase also influenced the amount collected for each day. The increased emission of these compounds, as a result of injury, may be explained as a defense mechanism against wounding. The role of these plant volatiles can be further investigated in the context of plant response to mechanical injury, within the broader context of all types of injury.

Wheat grain discoloration, a worldwide disease that lowers grain quality and decreases grain yield, does not have a single etiology. It has been proposed that it is a consequence of an abiotic mechanism, a response to environmental conditions or enzymatic activity. It has also been suggest that it is a biotic mechanism, a fungal infection principally by Alternaria spp. and Bipolaris sorokiniana. The present work was carried out to analyze the possible etiology of this disease in nine durum wheat genotypes from two localities of southern Buenos Aires province (Argentina) on two sowing dates. Incidence (percentage of grain discoloration) was recorded and mycobiota associated with this pathology was registered following ISTA rules. Peroxidase activity in an extract obtained from grains belonging to genotypes of the locality that showed the highest incidence was measured.

The incidence among genotypes, localities and sowing dates varied, although the genotypes with the higher and lower values of incidence were the same for all the variables tested. The fungus Alternaria spp. was isolated the most frequently followed by Fusarium spp., while Bipolaris sorokiniana was found the least frequently. Peroxidase activity showed that all the treatments had similar levels of enzymatic activity, but there was no clear differentiation between controls either between genotypes with the lowest or the highest incidence values. This suggests that peroxidase activity did not have a clear relationship with grain discoloration. In this research, it is presumed that fungal infection is the main cause of this disease.

Surface wastewater pollution due to accidental runoff or release of oil or its products is a longstanding and common environmental problem. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of concentrations of oil products (diesel) and suspended solids, the sorbent type, the water flow rate and the interfering factors (chlorides) on the dynamic sorption of diesel and to test regeneration of polypropylene after its use for sorption. The sorbents used for study included common wheat straw (Triticum aestivum), polypropylene and sorbents modified with hydrogen peroxide solution. Standard methods were used for the determination of the investigated parameters and an in-house procedure employing a gas chromatograph was used for the determination of diesel concentration. The following factors that impact the sorption of diesel were investigated during the study: diesel concentration, concentration of suspended solids; type of sorbent (common wheat straw (Triticum aestivum), wheat straw modified with hydrogen peroxide, and polypropylene), water flow rate; and influence of the interfering factors (chlorides). Filtration speed in the range of investigated speeds does not affect the efficiency of diesel removal. Removal efficiency does not depend on the concentration of diesel before the sorbent reaches its maximum sorption capacity. Filling containing 50% of polypropylene and 50% of wheat straw was used for the study. It was found that polypropylene and wheat straw do not remove chlorides and suspended solids from solution. The study found that the solution of hydrogen peroxide boosts the hydrophobic properties of common wheat straw, but does not affect the sorption of diesel. The recommended number of regenerations of polypropylene should be limited to two.

In the years 2000 and 2001 the effectiveness of control of take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici) in winter wheat with seed dressing fungicides at different levels of root infection was studied. Seeds were treated with siltiofam, fluquinconazole or a standard fungicide Baytan Universal 094 FS. At low level of root infection recorded at GS 75 siltiofam and fluquinconazole significantly reduced root infection as compared to untreated control by 73.5-89.9% and 65.5-89%, respectively. At a medium level of infection the respective values were 56.2 and 54.9%. No significant differences between the efficacy of the two new fungicides were stated. Standard seed treatment product showed only limited activity in the early spring. Reduction of winter wheat root infection by 1% caused the increase of grain yield by around 1%.

The rate of damages caused by the field slug Deroceras reticulatum to winter oilseed rape and winter wheat was investigated under field and laboratory conditions. The number and degree of seedling damages were estimated on the basis of the intensity of slug occurrence, which were caught in baited traps. It was found that over a 3-4-week period after sowing, damages caused by D. reticulatum slugs constituted 60% in young oilseed rape and 40% in wheat plants. Under laboratory conditions, one slug damaged almost completely 10 rape seedlings (95%) during 13 days of its feeding. The percentage damage caused by the pest to wheat seedlings was considerably lower (53%), whereas wheat seeds appeared to be severely damaged (83%) after 9 days of the slug feeding.

In the present study, the enrichment and isolation of textile effluent decolorizing bacteria were carried out in wheat bran (WB) medium. The isolated bacterium Providencia rettgeri strain HSL1 was then tested for decolorization of textile effluent in consortium with a dyestuff degrading fungus Aspergillus ochraceus NCIM 1146. Decolorization study suggests that A. ochraceus NCIM 1146 and P. rettgeri strain HSL1 alone re moves only 6 and 32% of textile effluent American Dye Manufacturing Institute respectively in 30 h at 30 ±0.2°C of microaerophilic incubation, while the fungal-bacterial consortium does 92% ADMI removal within the same time period. The fungal-bacterial consortium exhibited enhanced decolorization rate due to the induction in activities of catalytic enzymes laccase (196%), lignin peroxidase (77%), azoreductase (80%) and NADH-DCIP reductase (84%). The HPLC analysis confirmed the biodegradation of textile effluent into various metabolites. Detoxification studies of textile effluent before and after treatment with fungal-bacterial consortium revealed reduced toxicity of degradation metabolites. The efficient degradation and detoxification by fungal-bacterial consortium pre-grown in agricultural based medium thus suggest a promising approach in designing low-cost treatment technologies for textile effluent.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different zinc and iron concentrations in culture

medium on growth and development of maize and wheat seedlings in terms of their inoculation with bacteria of

Azospirillum genus. Maize and wheat in vitro cultures were inoculated, respectively, by strains of Azospirillum

lipoferum and Azospirillum brasilense strains. The experimental factor was the supplementation of the culture

medium with zinc (25, 200 and 600 mg·kg-1 of the medium) and iron (25, 200 and 600 mg·kg-1 of the medium).

Counts of bacteria from the Azospirillum genus were analysed and plant seedling growth and development as

well as the content of chlorophyll in plant leaf blades were monitored.

Zinc turned out to reduce strongly numbers of bacteria of the Azospirillum genus. Azospirillum brasilense

turned out to be particularly sensitive to elevated levels of this chemical element in the environment. The negative influence of increased quantities of zinc on cereal seedlings became apparent only after the application of

the highest concentrations of this metal in the medium (600 mg·kg-1), while quantities which did not exceed

200 mg·kg-1 exerted a stimulation effect on the mass of maize and wheat seedlings.

Iron added to the culture medium in quantities which did not exceed 200 mg·kg-1 did not reduce numbers of

bacteria of the Azospirillum genus; on the contrary, they stimulated their growth. However, at higher concentrations, this metal turned out to exert a strong negative impact on the chlorophyll content in leaf blades as well as

on the mass of maize and wheat seedlings.

The inoculation with bacteria of the Azospirillum genus exerted a positive influence on the mass increase of

maize and wheat seedlings and increased chlorophyll concentrations in leaf blades. At the same time, it contributed significantly to limiting or even levelling out the toxic impact of zinc and iron during the initial phases of

plant growth and development.

The effect of biopreparation Biochikol 020 PC on linear growth of mycelia of two Rhizoctonia isolates was tested under laboratory conditions along with that of fungicide Baytan Universal 19,5 WS for comparative purposes. Complete retardation of mycelial growth of both isolates was observed in case the application of fungicide Baytan Universal 19,5 WS at the concentration of 0.1% and a considerable growth inhibition was stated at the temperatures of 10°C and 30°C. The effect of seed dressing with the above mentioned preparations on plant infestation by Rhizoctonia fungi was tested in a greenhouse experiment on two cultivars of spring wheat: Banti and Ismena. Baytan Universal 19,5 WS reduced plant infestation especially at the highest soil moisture content of 20 kPa. Biopreparation Biochikol 020 PC and diversification of soil moisture levels did not result in a reduction of wheat infestation rate. This biopreparation stimulated the increase of root mass of both cultivars at moisture content of 20 kPa.

The experiment was conducted in the years 2001–2003 at the Experimental Station in Złotniki. The aim of the performed investigations was to evaluate economic effectiveness of different fungicidal protection programs in winter wheat. Winter wheat of cv. Sakwa was cultivated using the following two variants of seed treatment: 1) Raxil 060 FS at the dose of 60 ml/100 kg grain, 2) Raxil 060 FS + Latitude 125 FS at the doses of 60 and 200 ml/100 kg, and five variants of fungicidal foliar protection: 1) Vista 228 SE, 2) Sportak Alpha 380 EC, 3) Sportak Alpha 380 EC + Vista 228 SE, 4) Sportak Alpha 380 EC + Vista 228 SE + Juwel 250 SC, 5) control – without protection. The use of the above plant protection products contributed to the increase of winter wheat grain yield from 0.60 t/ha to 2.07 t/ha. This increase of yield covered costs of performed chemical control. The economic analysis showed that most effective variant of winter wheat chemical protection was seed treatment with Latitude 125 FS with additional two foliar treatments with the following fungicides: Sportak Alpha 380 EC and Vista 228 SE. Irrespective of the applied seed dressing, additional application of Juwel 250 SC at the stage of early milk maturity turned out to be economically not justified.

The incidence of winter wheat stem base diseases: Fusarium foot rot (Fusarium spp.), eyespot (Ramulispora herpotrichoides), sharp eyespot (Rhizoctonia spp.) and take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis) in the years 1999–2003 was assessed in this study. Previous crops were barley and oilseed rape. Eyespot occurred on the greatest percentage of plants throughout the whole period of the study. In 2000–2003 a deficiency of rainfall was observed, especially at the time of increased water requirements of plants.

Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) has been one of the most common viruses on cereal crops in Poland in the last years. This single stranded DNA virus is transmitted by the leafhopper spec, Psammotettix alienus (Dahlb.) in a persistent manner. It induces yellowing and streaking of leaves, dwarfing or even death of infected plants. The presence of barley- and wheat-specific forms of WDV (WDV-B and WDV-W) and their vector were previously reported in the country, however the literature data did not include any information on the infectivity of the vector in Poland. A duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was developed and optimized for simultaneous detection and differentiation of both forms in the vector. Two sets of primers amplify 734 bp and 483 bp specific fragments for WDV-W and WDV-B, respectively. The results were verified by a sequencing method. The studies were carried out on insect samples collected in autumn from four different locations in Greater Poland. The results confirmed the presence of WDV-W in the tested samples. They also suggested the concomitant of both forms of the virus in the vector. Additional studies to determine virus-vector relationships should be undertaken.

The investigations were carried out in 1996–2005 on the fields of Agricultural Experimental Station Department of SGGW Chylice in Mazowieckie voivodeship. The occurrence of diseases was assessed in 1996–2000 on winter wheat cv. Kobra, and in 2001–2005 on cv. Mikon. Weather conditions in ten-year experimental period were differentiated and had a distinct influence on plant infection by pathogens, as well as on the level of winter wheat yielding. In the first part of experimental period (1996–2000) the weather was characterized by higher temperatures compared to long-term average and higher amount of rainfall, with the exception of the year 2000 when the summer drought occurred. The highest for that period grain yield (54.70 dt/ha) was obtained in 1998. This was related to the lowest total infection of leaf surface area (22.76%) and a relatively low index of infection of stem base by Tapesia yallundae. In that year mass of 1 000 grain was also the highest. The lowest grain yield (40.80 dt/ha) was recorded in 2000 due to summer drought. In 1997 characterized by a high level of infection by T. yallundae (eyespot) obtained grain yield was also relatively low. In the second part of the experiment conducted on cv. Mikon (2001–2005) the lowest grain yield was recorded in 2001 (28.85 dt/ha) when per cent of leaf area infection of 2 upper leaves by Puccinia recondita (brown rust) was very high (44.79%), and the highest yield was obtained in 2003 (57.27 dt/ha). This was due to a moderate level of total leaf infection (30.21%) with fungal pathogens and favourable weather conditions for wheat development. In that year mass of 1 000 grain was also the highest. The occurrence of stem base infection by Fusarium spp. was maintained in the years 1996–2005 on differentiated level and it was lower in earlier years compared to the later period. The infection of ears by Leptosphaeria nodorum and Fusarium spp. was usually not high and its influence on the amount of grain yield not clearly evident. Chemical control of diseases influenced grain yield increase which was the highest in 2001 when winter wheat leaves were heavily infected by Puccinia recondita. The yield increase on fungicide treated plots was in that year 53.15%. It was evident that brown rust may pose a serious threat to winter wheat in the years of its high occurrence.

The resistance of winter wheat varieties to Puccinia recondite f. sp. tritici was investigated at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture during 2001–2003. Effectiveness of resistance genes was investigated at seedling, tillering and adult plant stages. Virulence tests done during the 2000–2003 period showed that the majority of Lr genes used in European wheat were not sufficiently efficient. However, testing of cultivars at the first leaf stage revealed that the Lr37 gene in combination with the other genes was very effective. The experimental cultivars were sown in 2 times: in autumn and spring, without vernalization. The main task of spring-sown nursery was to improve the effectiveness of the experiment and investigate the effect of different Lr genes of non-vernalized plants at tillering growth stage. The Lr37 gene was found to be the most effective at both adult plant stage and tillering growth stage. Disease severity and plant resistance type at tillering stage were stable in all experimental years, which is important for the breeding program. The investigations revealed that the correlations between resistance at seedling and the other two stages were up to r = 0.81 (significant at p = 0.01**). The correlations between leaf rust severity and varietal resistance type at tillering were very high (r = 0.86–0.91**) in the same year. The correlation of leaf rust severity at adult plant stage was strong (r = 0.78**) between 2001 and 2002, but too low for reliable selection of resistant cultivars in the other years. Spring-sown nursery was complementary to collect resistance data in the years unfavourable for leaf rust development.

Biological efficacy of herbicides: propoxycarbazone-sodium (Attribut 70 WG) and sulfosulfuron (Apyros 75 WG) applied with adjuvants was estimated in the field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments. An addition of adjuvants to herbicides Attribut 70 WG and Apyros 75 WG had a positive influence on physical characteristics of tank mixture, herbicidal effect, and the increase of winter wheat grain yield. Ammonium nitrate used as an adjuvant showed the weakest effect. The lowest grain yield was obtained after using the preparations Attribut 70 WG and Apyros 75 WG without adjuvant. Th eoil adjuvants, Adbios 85 SL, A ero 030 SL, Atpolan 80 EC and Olbras 88 EC influenced in a similar manner the activity of tested herbicides. Obtained herbicidal effect, the amount of yield and elements of yield structure were differentiated after joint application of herbicides with adjuvants. The herbicides protected plantations of winter wheat against couch grass (Agropyron repens) during the whole vegetative season. However the herbicide Attribut 70 WG was more effective in controlling regrowth of couch grass after harvest, as compared to Apyros 75 WG. On the other hand, Apyros 75 WG controlled somewhat better broadleaf weeds. Also differences in carryover effect occurred. On the sites after propoxycarbazone–sodium application winter oilseed rape, spring oilseed rape and sugar beet should not be cultivated. On the sites after cereals that were protected against weeds with sulfosulfuron only cultivation of winter oilseed rape should not be recommended, however spring oilseed rape and sugar beet can be grown

Eyespot is one of the most important fungal diseases of the stem base of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The presented study clearly demonstrated that the Pch1 gene was the main effective source for reducing the eyespot disease score in the analyzed winter wheat lines. Nevertheless, Pch1 was present only in 8−9% of the investigated lines. Using an isoenzymatic marker and molecular markers, the presence of the Pch1 gene and lack of the Pch2 gene was identified in six lines. Two lines, SMH 9409 and DL 358/13/4, were polymorphic in an isoenzymatic marker study. In the remaining three lines, C 3373/11-1, KBH 15.15 and KBP 1416, the Pch1 gene was identified only with the use of an isoenzymatic marker. Both genes Pch1 and Pch2, as well as the resistant variety Rendezvous, were found in three lines: DD 248/12, KBP 15.2 and STH 4431. In line DD 708/13, the presence of the Pch1 and Pch2 genes was identified, where the association between the Pch1 and the locus of the Xorw5 marker was broken. It was shown that the presence or absence of Pch1 and Pch2 genes did not significantly affect the grain yield (from the plot), although the yield was highest in the presence of both genes. A significant effect of the presence of the Pch1 gene on thousand kernel weight (TKW) was observed. Lines with the Pch1 gene showed significantly higher TKW values than lines without both genes or with the Pch2 gene only.

The species structure of plant parasitic nematode populations from the rhizosphere of winter wheat grown with crop rotation or in 48-year-old monoculture was analyzed and compared. Dominating species: Bitylenchus dubius, Merlinius microdorus, Paratylenchus neglectus and Heterodera avenae, in monoculture plots, had higher populations than in crop rotation plots. Heterodera avenae eggs and larvae were infected by pathogenic fungi in 68% of the monoculture crops (vs. 65–66% of the cysts from crop rotation), 12–20% of Paratylenchus sp. specimens were colonized by bacteria, mainly by Bacillus penetrans. This study shows nematological changes occurring in long-term wheat breeding, thus providing additional information necessary to fight dangerous viral vectors of the examined cereal.

In this study, the effect of six commercial biocontrol strains, Bacillus pumilus INR7, B. megaterium P2, B. subtilis GB03, B. subtilis S, B. subtilis AS and B. subtilis BS and four indigenous strains Achromobacter sp. B124, Pseudomonas geniculate B19, Serratia marcescens B29 and B. simplex B21 and two plant defense inducers, methyl salicylate (Me-SA) and methyl jasmonate (Me-JA) were assessed on suppression of wheat take-all disease. Treatments were applied either as soil drench or sprayed on shoots. In the soil drench method, the highest disease suppression was achieved in treatment with strains INR7, GB03, B19 and AS along with two chemical inducers. Bacillus subtilis S, as the worst treatment, suppressed take-all severity up to 56%. Both chemical inducers and bacterial strains AS and P2 exhibited the highest effect on suppression of take-all disease in the shoot spray method. Bacillus subtilis S suppressed the disease severity up to 49% and was again the worst strain. The efficacy of strains GB03 and B19 decreased significantly in the shoot spray method compared to the soil drench application method. Our results showed that most treatments had the same effect on take-all disease when they were applied as soil drench or sprayed on aerial parts. This means that induction of plant defense was the main mechanism in suppressing take-all disease by the given rhizobacteria. It also revealed that plant growth was reduced when it was treated with chemical inducers. In contrast, rhizobacteria not only suppressed the disease, but also increased plant growth.

Seed-borne diseases of wheat such as Fusarium head blight (FHB), a fungal disease caused by several species of Fusarium, results in reduced yield and seed quality. The aim of this study was to identify the Fusarium species, the effect of Fusarium-infected seeds on germination and vigor indices and to determine the location of Fusarium spp. in seeds, as well as to investigate the pathogenicity and variability of aggressiveness of the isolates obtained from pre-basic seeds wheat fields in Iran. According to morphological and molecular characters, the species F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. avenaceum and F. poae were identified. Among the isolates, F. graminearum was the predominant species with the highest frequency and relative density of 92.9% and 70.9%, respectively. We observed that germination and vigor indices were decreased due to increased Fusarium-infected seeds. Results indicated significant differences among cultivars and seed-borne Fusarium levels. While a higher infection level of Fusarium spp. most commonly occurred in the seed coat, only F. graminearum was observed in embryos. Our study about pathogenicity showed that 77.3% of the Fusarium spp. isolates were not pathogenic and 22.7% isolates of Fusarium spp. were pathogenic or weakly pathogenic. Our results indicated that variability in aggressiveness among isolates of a species and positive correlation may be determined by pathogenicity tests. This is the first time the location of Fusarium spp. in seeds has been identified. It is also the first time that Fusarium-infected seeds in pre-basic seeds wheat fields of Iran have been evaluated.

This research was conducted to investigate the natural, quantitative composition of the most common Fusarium species directly in fields of northeastern Poland. The concentration of Fusarium spp. and grain quality traits (yield, 1,000 kernel weight, test weight, grain moisture, ergosterol content, protein content, gluten content and starch content) were compared in four wheat varieties (Mandaryna, Struna, Kandela and Arabella). Obtained results indicated a relation between grain moisture, test weight, ergosterol content, yield and fungi concentration. Protein, starch and gluten content was similar in all wheat varieties. Fusarium culmorum was the most common pathogen in Mandaryna and Struna and F. graminearum in Kandela and Arabella. Fusarium avenaceum and F. poae occurred in low amounts in all wheat varieties except Mandaryna. Fusarium oxysporum was found in comparable concentrations in Struna, Kandela and Arabella. Struna despite medium Fusarium spp. colonization possessed the most desirable grain quality compared to other varieties. We carried out real-time PCR detection of Fusarium spp. which is an efficient, cost effective and time saving method in evaluating the development of fungal diseases which are not visible in standard observations.

The effects of gamma irradiation on the vernalization requirements, growth and development of winter wheat grown in a rainout shelter were studied during two successive growing seasons. Dry grains of winter wheat cv. Kobra were irradiated with 300 Gy radiation from a cobalt 60 gamma irradiator. Treated and control grains were pregerminated and subjected to vernalization for 0, 42 or 54 days. Morphological parameters of the plants developing from irradiated seeds (M1 generation) and the plants grown from the seeds produced by the irradiated plants (M2 generation) were measured in order to track the studied effects over two generations. Irradiation of dry grains slowed the growth and development of the plants regardless of the temperature treatment. The measured yield structure elements appeared to be lower for irradiated plants, but no clear effect of radiation on vernalization requirements was noted