Identification of seed-borne diseases in sugar beet and applying bioagents to enhance seed quality

Sugar beet (<i>Beta vulgaris</i> L.) is not just a crop but a vital economic resource that produces sugar, biofuel, and animal feed. This study focused on the mycoflora of seeds from two varieties of sugar beets – local and imported. The international phytopathological standard methods we employed identified four types of pathogenic fungi: <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>, <i>Pythium</i> sp., <i>Aspergillus niger,</i> and <i>Curvularia</i> spp. The results revealed a higher infection rate in the local variety seeds compared to the imported variety. Additionally, the frequency of seed colonization by <i>Pythium sp.</i> and <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i> was higher than the other pathogenic species. This study employed biopriming, a seed treatment process involving preliminary soaking and simultaneous inoculation with beneficial microorganisms. This helps protect seedlings from soil-borne pathogens and those already present in seed material. The seeds treated with the biocontrol agent resulted in robust and healthy seedlings with a germination rate of almost 99.0%.