Biological means for controlling the germination of Sosnovsky borsch seeds

22BV-KK-26-1-00596-PR001

Sonata Kisielienė

Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio rūmai

Kauno m. sav.

200,000.00 EUR

The project aims to demonstrate biological methods for controlling the germination of Sosnovsky hogweed seeds by combining the knowledge and expertise of project partners. The objective is to stop the spread of this invasive species in an environmentally safe way, reducing risks to biodiversity and human health. The project results will strengthen farm sustainability, resilience, and adaptability while promoting environmentally friendly invasive species management practices.

Agricultural entities

Based on research on micromycetes, it has been established that their biologically active metabolites negatively affect embryo and seed development when applied to the flowers of angiosperm plants, thereby reducing seed germination. Sosnowsky’s hogweed is a monocarpic plant, producing seeds only once during its lifetime and dying after seed dispersal. Therefore, reducing seed viability can effectively prevent the spread of this invasive species. Research conducted by the Nature Research Centre has shown that the tested micromycete filtrate can reduce the germination rate of Sosnowsky’s hogweed seeds by up to 80%. Field trials will be carried out on three farms with different soil conditions and farming practices to evaluate the effectiveness of the biological treatment under diverse agricultural conditions. The trials will assess seed morphology, germination, embryo viability, and potential environmental impacts. In addition, the economic and environmental efficiency of the technology will be evaluated to demonstrate its benefits and applicability for farms of different sizes. Based on the results obtained, practical recommendations for the use of biological control measures against Sosnowsky’s hogweed will be developed. Project results will be disseminated through field days, information events, popular science articles, and publications on the websites and social media channels of the project partners. The developed biological technology will be suitable for conventional and organic farms alike, contributing to the reduction of invasive species spread, environmental protection, and the development of sustainable agriculture.

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