Maize (Zea mays L.) and winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) are among the most important crops in the world. Their yield level is influenced by many factors, including the presence of pathogens. The most common fungi include Fusarium spp. Currently, methods of protecting and fertilizing plants are being sought that will be both effective and safer compared to the solutions currently used. One of them is the use of various forms of copper. Application as seed dressings allows to improve the growth of plants already at the initial stages of their development. In the experiment, winter barley and maize seeds were covered with preparations containing various forms of copper (lignosulfonate, oxychloride, hydroxide, heptagluconate) and fungicide prothioconazole. The results of the conducted research indicate that most of the variants used did not have a statistically significant impact on the germination energy and germination capacity of grains. A significant decrease in the level of seedling infection was observed after the use of selected forms of copper, which was similar to the results obtained after the use of fungicide prothioconazole. No statistically significant differences were observed for the height of plants and, in most variants, for their fresh weight and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. All forms of copper contributed to a significant reduction in the risk of seedling infection, but not all doses were safe for crop plants.