Sanitary and physiological quality of soybean seeds treated with essential oils

Abstract

The seeds are usually infested by pathogens, where in addition to commercial chemical control, alternative controls have been sought. Thus, the effect of essential oils extracted from the leaves of the hybrid Eucalyptus tereticornis x E. urophylla (HEtu) and E. grandis x E. urophylla (HEgu) in the sanitary and physiological quality of soybean seeds was evaluated. The sanity test was conducted out in CRD, 2x5 factorial scheme (two essential oils extracted from the leaves of HEtu and HEgu, with five doses: 0; 0.5; 0.75; 1.0 and 2.0 µl.mL^-1). And physiological quality in CRD, with a 2x4+1 factorial scheme, consisting of two essential oils mentioned above, in four doses (0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 2.0 µl.mL^-1), plus an additional control treated with ADW. Both oils are efficient in controlling the genera Fusarium and Cladosporium, with better results at doses 1.0 and 2.0 µl.mL^-1. HEgu oil showed greater sanitary control; however, HEtu oil was superior for all the physiological variables. Despite the greater efficiency in sanitary control, HEgu oil negatively alters the physiological quality of the seeds, while HEtu oil at a dose of 2.0 µl.mL^-1, in addition to the efficiency in phytosanitary control, does not affect the physiological quality of the seeds.