The investigation of the effects on shelf life and colonization of endophytic bacteria of different seed coating techniques and storage conditions on cucumber seeds

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the efficacy of different seed coating techniques of endophytic bacteria (EB), which were previously determined the biocontrol potential and plant grwoth promoting effects on healthy cucumber (Cucumis sativus L., cv. Gordion) seeds. Cucumber seeds after bacterization were kept at room temperature and in the refrigerator for 6 months in order to test the efficacy of different storage conditions and seed coating techniques on the viability and population density of EB and the potentiaol of seed germination / emergence. Changing the population density of EB and VI of tested seeds were monitored periodically as once a month. It was determined that the most promising seed coating techniques were seed bacterization with CMC (carboxy methyl cellulose, 1 %) and only bacterial suspension in respect to viability of bacteria and VI of seeds kept at room temperature and in the refrigerator for six months. However, the applications of vacuum infiltration and film coating were recorded as unsuccessfull seed coating techniques. It has been observed that the most appropriate storage condition for coated seeds with EB was refrigerator atmosphere.Keywords: bio-priming, seed bacterization, endophytic bacteria, vigorit index.