Seed sowing qualities of perennial grass grains in the conditions of the northern forest-steppe of the Novosibirsk Ob region

Perennial grasses are multi-purpose crops used as feed for livestock, to enhance soil fertility, and for lawn establishment. The aim of this study was to assess the sowing and phytosanitary qualities of seeds from five plant species: smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis), timothy grass (Phleum pratense), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and red fescue (Festuca rubra), harvested in 2020 and 2022 under the conditions of the northern forest-steppe of the Novosibirsk Ob region. The research was conducted using standard methodologies. A complex of phytopathogens common to cereal crops was identified, including causative agents of Fusarium-Helminthosporium root rot, Alternaria, and seed mold, as well as specialized phytopathogens causing heterosporiosis and bacterial diseases. The study established a significant impact of annual conditions on the sowing and phytosanitary qualities of grass seeds: in humid conditions, the taxonomic diversity of phytopathogens was higher than in dry conditions.