Seedborne fungal pathogens associated with Panicum miliaceum and Echinochloa crus-galli in Hungary

The purpose of the study was to investigate the fungal seed diseases affecting two major monocotyledonous weed species, Panicum miliaceum L. and Echinochloa crus-galli L., in Hungary. Seeds of Panicum miliaceum L. were collected from Keszthely in 1985 and 2007 while the seeds of Echinochloa crus-galli were gathered from Keszthely and Szombathely regions in 2010. The experiment was set in two repetitions with 50 seeds each; resulting in a total of 100 seeds germinated per sample. Seeds were arranged in Petri dishes on moistened filter paper, then covered, and incubated in an incubator at 24ºC for 14 days. Visual scans for early infections were conducted on day 7 and thereafter on day 14. Infected seeds underwent both visual and microscopic examinations to identify fungal genera. The microscopic analysis revealed that the most isolates were consistent with ascomycetous fungi. The most abundant genera identified were Fusarium spp., Alternaria spp. and Aspergillus spp. Based on analysis of the results, out of the 400 seeds examined, Fusarium was the most dominant with 44.25%, followed by Alternaria (21.25%), and Aspergillus (16.5%). E. crus-galli showed a higher susceptibility to Fusarium, Alternaria and Aspergillus compared to P. miliaceum. Given that these monocot weeds are prevalent and serve as reservoirs for pathogens causing substantial agricultural losses in Hungarian agricultural fields, therefore strengthening the holistic integrated pest management (IPM) strategies is crucial. Furthermore, transitioning towards the use on non-chemical control measures for these fungal groups is recommended to reduce the damage to the environment and overreliance on fungicides.