HEALTH AND GERMINATION OF SOYBEAN SEEDS AS A FUNCTION OF BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT WITH BACILLUS IN SOIL WITH THE HYDRORETAINING POLYMER

Abstract

The use of seeds of good physiological and sanitary quality is one of the main factors for obtaining higher grain yields in soybean. Seed treatment is a management technique that aims to ensure sanitary quality, being efficient in the control of phytopathogens and especially fungi associated with seeds or present in the soil. Among the biological control options, the use of bacteria of the genus Bacillus has been used. In addition to the phytosanitary problems of the soybean crop, the climate risk has been a cause of concern for producers. With the occurrence of dry spells in the Cerrado regions, the use of synthetic water-retaining polymers is another alternative for water maintenance in the producing regions. Therefore, few studies have been developed associating the use of various inputs including seed treatment, application of polymers in the soil, with the fungal microflora in the seeds. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence of fungi in the seeds of the soybean cultivar M8644 IPRO, as a function of the biological treatment of seeds and subsequent influence of the treatments on the fungi present in harvested grains. Seed lots produced in the municipality of Lagoa da Confusion, TO, were used. The laboratory experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with four replications and five treatments, as follows: 1-fungicide, 2-Bacillus 02, 3-Bacillus BRSW, 4-Bacillus 02 + Bacillus BRSW, 5-Control (seeds treated with sterile water).  In the field, the same treatments were used, with the presence and absence of hydrogel in the ripening line, with 04 replications.  For the survey of the fungal population, sanitary analysis was carried out in Blother Test and germination in sand. The experimental data were submitted to analysis of variance and when significant by the F test, Tukey's test was applied using the SISVAR program. It was concluded that seed treatment with bioprotective effect was favorable to be used.