INFLUENCE OF PLANT EXTRACTS ON GERMINATION, VIGOR, AND HEALTH OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Abstract

Using alternative methods for managing pests and diseases for the sunflower crop, which is susceptible to several diseases, especially during seed germination, is necessary to develop sustainable agriculture. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of plant extracts on germination, vigor, and health of sunflower seeds. The experiment was carried out at the Seed Laboratory of the Complexo de Ciências Agrárias at Unitins in September 2022, using a completely randomized design. The treatments were garlic (Allium sativum), eucalyptus (Corymbia citriodora), and mint (Mentha spicata) extracts and the control. The extracts were applied to the seeds and then the parameters of germination, emergence, emergence speed (ES), emergence speed index (ESI), emergence speed coefficient (ESC), and sanity were evaluated. The eucalyptus extract differed statistically from the other extracts for the germination parameter. For emergence, the extracts differed statistically from the control. Regarding the vigor parameters, only the ESC showed a significant difference, with garlic and eucalyptus extracts showing the best results, showing better accumulation of fresh mass and stem length concerning the control. For radicle length, the eucalyptus extract showed the best development. Sanitary aspects were similar between treatments. Eucalyptus and garlic extracts showed positive effects on the evaluated physiological aspects. As for the health aspects, the extracts did not demonstrate control in the health test, but in the emergency test, they were efficient.