UDC 631.8: 633.412
https: //doi.org/10.25630/PAV.2026.94.99.003
Startsev V.I., Zhemchuzhina N.S., Startseva L.V.
Based on numerous studies, a specific formulation of activated charcoal was selected that exhibits high adsorption capacity for chemically synthesized pesticides, thereby helping to mitigate their adverse effects on the growth and development of vegetable crops. However, the issue of soil biological pollutants—metabolic byproducts of phytopathogenic microorganisms—remains unresolved. The use of activated charcoal for beet seed pelleting demonstrated its high adsorption efficiency against Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, the causative agent of the fungal disease Alternaria blight. When analyzing table beet seeds pelleted with «Agrosorb» activated charcoal, the pathogen in question was eliminated from the seed-borne infection profile. At the same time, laboratory germination rates increased significantly—by a factor of 2.5—due to the charcoal's adsorption of mycotoxins that typically inhibit germination. The use of activated charcoal-pelleted seeds facilitates a shift toward precision agriculture, enabling the accurate sowing of seeds varying in shape and size; the soil-based adsorbent acts directly within the germination zone, actively interacting not only with soil microbiota but also with phytotoxins associated with the seeds. The continuous presence of activated charcoal in crop fields significantly reduces the pathogen load on plants, both during the growing season and after harvest. Given that modern intensive farming systems generate diverse crop residues harboring complex microbial communities—including phytopathogens—it is advisable to assess the soil microbiota composition prior to sowing and to use vegetable seeds coated with activated charcoal. Furthermore, crop residues can serve as raw material for the production of activated carbon, opening up significant prospects for zero-waste crop production and the reduction of production costs.
Key words: microbiota, seeds, beetroot, pollutants, mycotoxins, soil
Startsev V.I., D. Sci. (Agr.), deputy director, leading research fellow
Zhemchuzhina N.S., Cand. Sci. (Biol.), senior research fellow, deputy head of the State Collection of Phytopathogenic Microorganisms and Plant Cultivars for Identifying Pathogenic Microbial Strains
Startseva L.V., Cand. Sci. (Agr.), leading research fellow All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology
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For citing: Startsev V.I., Zhemchuzhina N.S., Startseva L.V. The effect of activated carbon on the microbiota of beetroot seeds. Potato and vegetables. No5. Pp. 26–29. https://doi.org/10.25630/PAV.2026.94.99.003 (In Russ.).
