The occurrence ofFusarium andAlternaria on faba bean seed
The studies on the occurrence ofFusarium andAlternaria in faba bean seed have been conducted for three years. The fungal flora in seed lots from healthy plant and from plant inoculated withAscochyta fabae were determined. In addition the occurrence ofFusarium andAlternaria in three parts of seed: testa, cotyledones, and embryo axis were investigated.It was found thatFusarium andAlternaria were present in faba bean seed, but the frequency of occurrence varied depending upon cultivar and experimental year.
Fungus diseases of field bean in Finland during 1975-1977.
During 1975 1977, studies were carried out on the fungus diseases of field bean and attempts were made to find, through seed-dusting trials, suitable methods for their control. The fungal flora in a total of 43 seed lots containing 140 200 seeds each were determined. In addition, plant samples collected from farms where field beans were under cultivation and field bean cultivar trials in seven localities were analysed. The weather conditions in the growing seasons of 1975 and 1977 were rather exceptional, the former being dry and warm and the latter rainy and cool. Ripe crops were obtained from the control experiments, in which the seeds of 3—4 field bean cultivars were dusted with thiram and benomyl preparations, only in 1975 and 1976. Ascochyta fabae Speg. was rare in all the seed samples apart from those from LänsiHahkiala, where the degree of infection varied, depending on the cultivar, from 1.3 20 %. Botrytis fabae Sard, was rare in the seeds, B. cinerea Pers. ex Fr. quite common in 1976 and especially in 1977. The frequency of the Fusarium fungi were very great on the seeds in 1977, F. culmorum (W. G. Sm.) Sacc. and F. avenaceum (Fr.) Sacc. being the most common. A. fabae was quite common in the stand samples collected at Länsi-Hahkiala in 1975 and 1976. The chocolate spot-causing agents, B. fabae and B. cinerea, were relatively rare in all years except 1977, when some cultivars were heavily infested by B. cinerea.
The control of fungal seed-borne diseases by means of a thiram seed soak.
SUMMARY 
A method of soaking seeds in an 0·2% aqueous suspension of thiram for 24 h at 30 °C, which had previously been shown to eradicate infection by several fungi, was tested against a further thirteen seed-borne pathogens. Eleven of these were completely controlled, one was almost completely controlled and one was not adequately controlled by the treatment. 
 
The thiram soak treatment was much more effective than dust treatments with fungicides for the control of many internal fungal pathogens. It was also generally more effective and less damaging than hot-water treatment. 
 
The ways of applying the method commercially have been investigated and it is being adopted for the treatment of celery, brassicas and red beet.