Abstract

PIRES GUIMARAES, Cinthya; DUARTE VIEIRA, Henrique; BELTRAME, Rômulo André  and  MUSSI-DIAS, Vicente. Effects of calcium silicate on the protection of Brachiaria seeds against Sclerotium rolfsii. Rev. Fac. Cienc. Agrar., Univ. Nac. Cuyo [online]. 2020, vol.52, n.2, pp.289-300. ISSN 1853-8665.

Sclerotium rolfsii, a widespread fungus in tropical and subtropical regions, is a phytopathogen that affects a large number of cultivated and wild plants-e.g. Brachiaria species-, causing plant damping-off events. Current disease control strategies include chemical treatment of seeds, genetic resistance and crop rotation. Compared to synthetic agrochemicals, silicon may induce plant resistance. This study examined the efficiency of calcium silicate in the coating of Brachiaria seeds on the incidence of the disease during plant germination and establishment. The experiment consisted of six Brachiaria brizantha seed-coating treatments involving different calcium silicate and sand proportions and two controls. The fungus was inoculated at three different times in relation to seed sowing: inoculation at sowing (IN0); inoculation 10 days after sowing (IN10); inoculation 20 days after sowing (IN20); and no inoculation (control). Radicle emergence, germination, abnormal seedlings, damped-off seedlings and dead seeds were evaluated. Increase in the germination rate of B. brizantha cv. MG5 seeds coated with calcium silicate was observed, which showed protective effect against the incidence of S. rolfsii, directly reflecting in lower damping- off percentages. The application of calcium silicate as coating provided protection to MG5 seeds and plants inoculated with S. rolfsii.

Keywords : Brachiaria brizantha; Sclerotium rolfsii; Damping-off; Seed coating; Silicon.

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