Low-energy electron beams for protection of grain crops from insect pests and diseases

The study demonstrates the effect of a low-energy (up to 160 keV) repetitive pulsed electron beam extracted into ambient air on the disease incidence and sowing quality of spring barley seeds and on the viability of insect pests during crop storage. Irradiation of barley seeds 5 days prior to sowing greatly decreases the disease incidence on their shoots (p<0.05): for Drechslera teres, the incidence decreases 2.1-3.2 times depending on the dose and dose rate, and for Penicillium sp, it decreases 3.5-13.7 times at all doses and rates used. The incidence of Fusarium sp is unaffected by radiation. The spread of disease decreases 1.5-3.2 times for Drechslera teres and 4-8 times for Penicillium sp. Electron beam irradiation 28 days prior to sowing shows similar suppression (2.2-3.1 times) only for Drechslera teres at a dose of 1.0 kGy. The sowing quality of seeds increases after irradiation 5 days prior to sowing and decreases after irradiation 28 days prior. The viability of Oryzaephilus surinamensis imagines in infested grains is completely inhibited after irradiation at 0.2-1.0 kGy. Thus, on the example of spring barley seeds, our experiments prove the efficiency of low-energy electron beam irradiation for inhibiting the viability of disease agents and insect pests. (paper)