The effects of seed treatment with imazalil at 0.2 and 0.3 g a.i./kg seed on subcrown internode length and occurrence of coleoptile-node-tillers (CNT) was studied in four spring wheat cultivars at two locations in Saskatchewan. Without treatment, Cypress had the longest internodes followed in descending order by Glenlea, Neepawa, and Wascana. Generally, plants from imazalil-treated seed had significantly shorter subcrown internodes. Only a few plants from nontreated seed produced CNT and of these, many were soft or aborted, while the treated seed produced a number of CNT and many of these were firm tillers. The possible importance of these morphological changes in the reduction of common root rot, on drought resistance, cold hardiness, and yield is discussed.
