Antifungal activity of some essential oils and active ingredents used in sugar beet seed coating and their effects on beet yield and quality

In this research, it was aimed to determine the antifungal effects, germination and phytotoxicity of seeds and yield and quality in field conditions against Phoma betae, Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani pathogens that cause root rot in sugar beet by seed treatment of some essential oils and main components. In laboratory studies, 4 different formulations, which were formed by determining the essential oil and main components with no or minimal phytotoxic effect while showing high antifungal activity, were applied to sugar beet seeds with 2 different methods, as coating and spraying. In the germination test results depending on the formulation applications, normal germination rate was detected between, 37.7% and 97.7%, abnormal germination rate was detected between, 1.3% and 62.0%, non-germinated seed rate was detected between, 0.01% and 1.3%, and cold test rate was detected between 74.3% and 94.3%. Depending on the doses and application methods of the seeds in which the formulations were applied, the rates of preventing infection were determined for Phoma betae between, 30.1-76.3% for Rhizoctonia solani between 58.0-77.7% and for Pythium spp. between 55.0-78.7%. In field studies it was determined that the formulation applications yields were between 6.066-10.297 kg/da while the control applications yield was 9.329 kg/da. According to field results, polar sugar rate varied between 15.3% and 17.6%, and raw sugar yields varied between 927 and 1.768 kg/da. As a result of the study, in terms of yield, quality and fungal infection control in sugar beet, the application of 18 ml/unit dose of F-II and 12 ml/unit dose of F-III in the spraying process and 12 ml/unit of F-II and 6 ml/unit doses of F-III in the coating process showed similar effects with standard treated seeds. So that, it has been determined that essential oil and main components can be alternatives to chemical seed treatment materials in the future.