Physiology of carrot seeds treated with red seaweed biostimulant and exposed to different temperatures and salinity

Abstract

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is a horticulture crop species with economic importance. The performance of this crop can be improved with the use of seaweed extracts, which are a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers and biostimulants. Few studies have been performed aiming to determine the effects of algae-based biostimulants, especially red algae of the genus Solieria, on seed treatment and physiology. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seed treatment with Solieria filiformis algal biostimulant for improving the physiological potential of carrot seeds of Brasilia Irecê and Nantes cultivars. Carrot seeds of both cultivars were treated with 0, 1, 2, and 4 mL L−1 of the biostimulant, after which they were subjected to germination and seedling growth evaluation at different temperatures and salinities. The results were analyzed by analysis of variance, Tukey’s test, and regression. It was observed that 30 °C temperature reduced carrot germination and seedling growth for the cultivars. No dose of red algae biostimulant improved germination of carrot seeds under both adequate and stress conditions of temperature and salinity for the cultivars analyzed.