Seed treatments with Vitavax for the control of loose smut of wheat and barley

Seed dressings with Vitavax—75 % w.p.—eliminated Ustilago nuda in spring barley seeds and greatly reduced infection due to U. tritici in winter wheat. Emergence and yield of these crops were not adversely affected. Seed soak treatments including 0·2 % aqueous Vitavax for 6 h at 30 °C (wheat and barley), 0·2% thiram for 24 h at 30 °C (barley) and 0·2% Vitavax for 1 h at 30 °C (barley) also rid the seeds of infection. In other tests with barley 2 h soaks in 0·2 % aqueous suspensions of Vitavax at 30 °C gave equivalent control to 12 h soaks in 0·2% thiram at 30 °C.