Effect of row spacing on micromycetes spread in winter wheat and its rhizosphere

Abstract

Organic production requires significant changes in the system of agro-technological measures. The issues regarding the selection of crop cultivation technology, including the choice of row spacing to provide the area of nutrition, are still poorly understood. But these changes affect the redistribution of biota in the agroecosystems, such as microorganisms. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to find out the ecological peculiarities of row spacing impact on the spread of micromycetes on winter wheat plants and in its rhizosphere. Winter wheat (variety Vidrada) plants that grown with row spacing 15, 30 and 45 cm, as well as rhizosphere of these plants were studied for micromycetes infection. It was found that micromycetes of the genus Alternaria dominated on wheat stems in all row spacings. At the same time, only fungi of the genus Fusarium were found on ears of the studied samples. The spread of alternaria on wheat stems with row spacing 15 cm and 30 cm was about 53.3%, at the same time with the width of the row spacing 45 cm it reached 60%, and the spread of fusarium on wheat ears with a row spacing 15 and 30 cm was 73.3%, while in the row spacing 45 cm it reached 80.0%. The major micromycetes number of colonies on the rhizosphere of wheat roots belonged to the genus Trichoderma, Penicillum and Alternaria. Mucor and Aspergilus fungi are found in small amount. Micromycetes of the genus Alternaria, Trichoderma, Penicillum, Mucor dominated in the row spacing 15 cm. In the row spacing 30 cm the overwhelming number were fungi of the genus Trichoderma, Penicillum, and 45 cm – fungi of the genus Trichoderma, Penicillum, Aspergilus. The total amount of CFU indicates that, like in plants, the soil rhizosphere does not differ in row spacing of 15 and 30 cm (and is 46.7 and 45.5 thousand CFU/1 g), but in row spacing 45 cm we found more. Therefore, we think that to prevent the large spread of mycological diseases of winter wheat, it is advisable to grow it with a row spacing 15 and 30 cm.