Effectiveness of pre-sowing fungicide treatment of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) seeds

A study conducted at Lviv National Environmental University in 2023 examined the effects of nine fungicidal seed treatments on soybean (Ambella® variety) germination, root rot development, and yield. Seed germination energy and capacity were measured using the between-paper method at 5 and 8 days, respectively. Seed-borne infections and root rot pathogens were identified using the blotter method. Root rot incidence was assessed at soybean growth stages BBCH 12, BBCH 13, and BBCH 61. The data were analyzed using Statistica software. The best results were obtained with treatments containing fluxapyroxad (250 g L-1) + pyraclostrobin (250 g L-1) at rates of 0.4 ml kg-1 and 0.8 ml kg-1, and fludioxonil (25 g L-1) + metalaxyl-M (10 g L-1) at a rate of 1.0 ml kg-1, which led to high seed germination energy (90.5 % - 95.5 %), and capacity (95.5 % - 99.5 %), and yields of 3.53 - 3.59 tons per hectare. Soybean yield for seed treatment with thiophanate methyl (250 g L-1) + pyraclostrobin (25 g L-1) + fipronil (225 g L-1) at rates of 1.0 ml kg-1 and 1.5 ml kg-1 reached 3.52 tons and 3.75 tons per hectare, respectively. Overall, fungicide treatments improved both root health and yield of soybean compared to untreated seeds.