Seed quality and healt condition of european beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Beechnuts, the seeds of European beech, upon their live span, belong to the biological classes of microbiotic seeds. Microbiotic seeds has life span of a few weeks up to 3 years. Beechnuts belong to the intermediate type of seeds according to storage behaviour. Beechnuts are also deep dormant seeds. Freshly collected beechnuts contain 22-30% of moisture and so during and after harvesting it can not be stored in bags because the seed are getting moldy. The average viability in good seed crop year in Croatia is 72%, and the average share of empty seed is 15%. The aim of this study was tested in laboratory for testing seed quality of Croatian Forest Research Institute. Viability was tested by biochemichal test- the Tophographical Tetrazolium Test. Pathogens were determinate using macro and micro morphological analysis and DNA molecular identification using ITS region. Viability of seed was 33%, the share of decayed seeds were 38%, empty seeds were 19%, and other nonviability seed were 10%. The following pathogens were determined on beechnuts: Alternaria alternate, Arthrobotrys superb, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp., Trichothecium roseum, Mucor spp., Graphium sp., Chaetomium sp. The viability of beechnuts was low. Share of decayed and empty seeds was high and it negatively influenced the quality of beechnuts.