Alternative seed treatment methods for plant pathogen control in sweet pepper crops

Abstract

The health and physiological quality of sweet pepper seeds were assessed along with the use of alternative methods by heat therapy, plant extracts, chemical and biological products to control plant pathogens associated to the seeds. The in vitro experiments assessed the effect of the treatments applied to the seeds to control the identified plant pathogens. After treatment, the seeds were plated, incubated and assessed after seven days. An in vivo experiment was also carried out with the treatments that presented the best plant pathogen control in the seeds, which were treated and sown and after 30 days the plants were sprayed with a C. gloeosporioides suspension. The severity was assessed by a score scale specific to the pathogen system. The treatments with best plant pathogen control in the seeds were aqueous basil extract 5%, heat therapy 45° C/25 minutes, Thiophanate methyl, Quality® and B. methylotrophicus isolate, MGSS 274. In anthracnose management, the basil extract, MGSS 274 and Quality® reduced disease severity in sweet pepper plants.