Action specificity of chemical treatment and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in wheat seed on the crop initial growth

ABSTRACT The agronomic efficiency of the nitrogen-fixing inoculants or growth promoters depends on the growing conditions of the crops. One of the factors that may influence this response is the interaction between the bacteria present in the inoculant with the chemical treatment applied to the seeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of inoculation of wheat seeds with Azospirillum brasilense and its interaction with seed treatment on germination, vigor and initial growth of wheat plants of four cultivars. So, an experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria-RS. The experimental design was a completely randomized in a three-factorial (4x4x2), represented by the combinations between cultivar (FUNDACEP Bravo, OR/TBIO Quartzo, TBIO Itaipu e BRS 331), chemical treatment (1: Insecticide + Fungicide; 2: Insecticide; 3:Fungicide; 4: Witness without treatment) and Azospirillum brasilense inoculation (with and without inoculant). The determinations which were carried out were the following: emergence in beds, first germination test counting (vigor), germination, seedling length (root, aerial part and total), dry mass (root and aerial part). The responses to inoculants with Azospirillum brasilense are closely related to the cultivars used in the study. The treatment of seeds with fungicide and insecticide presented a phytotoxic effect, damaging the initial growth of the seedlings. RESUMO A eficiência agronômica dos inoculantes fixadores de nitrogênio ou promotores de crescimento é dependente das condições de cultivo das culturas. Um dos fatores que pode influenciar essa resposta é a interação da bactéria presente no inoculante com o tratamento químico das sementes. Dessa forma, o estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a influência da inoculação de sementes de trigo com Azospirillum brasilense e sua interação com o tratamento de sementes na germinação, vigor e crescimento inicial de plantas de trigo de quatro cultivares. Para tal conduziu-se um experimento no Laboratório Didático e de Pesquisa em Sementes do Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em um trifatorial (4x4x2), sendo representado pelas combinações dos fatores cultivar (FUNDACEP Bravo, OR/TBIO Quartzo, TBIO Itaipu e BRS 331), tratamento químico de sementes (1- Inseticida + Fungicida; 2- Inseticida; 3- Fungicida; 4- Test