Solar UV‐B radiation limits seedborne anthracnose infection and induces physiological and biochemical responses in Lupinus mutabilis.

The aim of this study was to test whether solar UV‐B radiation and temperature have an effect on infection of lupin seeds by Colletotrichum acutatum. Samples of infected seed were placed in a solar oven and exposed on sunny days for 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120 min. The degree of reduction in disease incidence and seed germination was dependent on the exposure time. Exposure times of 75 min (UV‐B 4.41 kJ m−2, ≈76 °C) and higher reduced incidence from 5% to undetectable levels, but also reduced seed germination by around 10% compared with untreated seed. Therefore, in a second experiment, infected seeds were exposed for 45 or 60 min in the solar oven (UV‐B 2.83 or 3.75 kJ m−2, respectively, ≈76 °C), for 60 min at ambient temperature (UV‐B 3.75 kJ m−2, ≈21 °C) or to dry heat for 60 min at 75 °C. Exposure for 60 min in the solar oven reduced seed infection by 99%, while UV‐B‐radiated seed at ambient temperature or dry‐heat reduced infection by 60% or 32%, respectively. To evaluate the effect of UV‐B plus high temperature on seedlings, lupin seed exposed for 45 or 60 min (UV‐B 2.83 or 3.75 kJ m−2, respectively, at ≈76 °C) were grown and physiological and biochemical responses of the seedlings were assessed. Seedlings from exposed seed had higher total concentrations of chlorophyll, protein and peroxidase activity than those grown from unexposed infected seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]