Evaluation of phytosanitary quality and germination of forage seeds

Abstract

The objective of this work was to verify the phytosanitary and germinative quality of sorghum seeds ( Sorghum sudanense ), brizanta ( Urochloa brizantha ), aruana ( Megathyrsus maximum ) and millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ). Thus, germination tests were performed according to the Rules for Seed Analysis (RAS). The phytopathogenic fungi present in the seeds were also identified, using the plating technique in BDA (Potato, Dextrose, Agar) culture medium and the development of these plants under greenhouse conditions. The experimental design for the laboratory tests were entirely randomized and in a greenhouse in randomized blocks. According to the results, it was observed that sorghum and millet presented germination and dry mass superior to brizanta and aruana. In relation to sanity, it was verified that sorghum and millet obtained low contamination by phytopathogens in comparison with the other seeds, among fungi found in brizanta and aruana forages, Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Penicillium sp. and Cladosporium sp .. This fact can be considered the limiting factor for the development and the best quality of the evaluated seeds.