Susceptibility of male sterile wheat varieties to ergot

摘要

Ergot (Claviceps purpurea (Ft.) Tul.) is a potential problem in the two phases of hybrid wheat production that utilize a male-sterile parent. This study was undertaken to determine if four wheat cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.), which escape the infection of ergot because of their closed glumes, would become infected during hybrid seed production with the use of the chemical pollen suppressant RH 531. The experiment was performed in a field infested naturally with infected plants of Alopecurus myosuroides. Therefore the wheat infection was natural. There were high differences in infection between rates of the chemical RH 531 and cultivars. The infection was higher with the higher rate. Following chemical treatment the lowest infection occurred in the cultivar Dio and the highest in cv Vergina. Intermediate infection occurred in cvs Vitsi and Aiges.