Abstract
The incidence of fungi in seeds depends on the sanitary and climatic conditions in which the seeds were produced. So, the objective of this study was to identify the fungi present in commercial lots of Brachiaria brizantha cv. ‘Marandu’ and’Xaraes’ seeds harvested in different areas in Brazil. Seeds from ten lots of each cultivar, produced in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goias, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, and Bahia were evaluated as to moisture content, germination and sanity. The experiment was conducted according to a completely random design with eight replications of 50 seeds for each lot. In both cultivars, the seeds were found to be infected with Aspergillus sp., Chaetomium sp., Curvularia sp., Fusarium sp., and Helminthosporium sp; the highest incidences were those of Chaetomium sp. and Fusarium sp. Seeds of the ‘Marandu’ cultivar were the only ones showing the presence of Phoma sp. and Pyricularia grisea and those of the ‘Xaraes’ cultivar with Colletotrichum sp. and Nigrospora sp. The incidence of Fusarium sp., Aspergillus and Nigrospora sp. reduces ‘Xaraes’ seeds germination whereas it does not interfere in the ‘Marandu’ seeds germination. The presence of the fungus Pyricularia grisea is for the first time reported in tropical forage grass seeds produced in the Southeast and Northeast regions of Brazil.
Highlights
With the growth in area of cultivated forage plants, mainly with seeds of Brachiaria brizantha
None of the lots used in this experiment germinated less than 60% (Tables 2 and 3), i.e., all lots were within the required standards for forage grass seeds (BRASIL, 2008)
The seeds of Marandu grass were the only ones infected with Phoma sp. and Pyricularia grisea and those of Xaraés grass with Colletotrichum sp. and Nigrospora sp
Summary
With the growth in area of cultivated forage plants, mainly with seeds of Brachiaria brizantha Rich) Stapf., the increment in the incidence of pathogens has become a problem of growing importance (EUCLIDES et al, 2010; VECHIATO; APARECIDO, 2008). Among the main factors responsible for the occurrence of pathogens in seeds are those of the absence of sanitary standards and the scarceness of information concerning the sanity of seeds produced and commercialized in Brazil (MALLMANN et al, 2013). Information concerning seed sanity is demanded in Brazil only when the seeds are to be exported (BRASIL, 2008; MARCHI et al, 2010a; VECHIATO; APARECIDO, 2008). Seeds infected with Claviceps sp., for instance, represent a sanitary barrier for commercial transactions with Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama (MARCHI et al, 2010a). The presence of pathogens in the seeds may reduce seed germination, vigor and yield, considering the chances of several pathogens being transported by the seeds (SBALCHEIRO; ROVERI; BARBOSA, 2014)
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