Tratamento de sementes de alface com bioestimulantes a base de algas

Abstract

Lettuce is a leafy vegetable, expressive in the national market, propagated by seeds. Seed treatment may improves seed physiological potential and seedling performance. Biostimulants, which are composed of plant regulators associated with other nutrients, can generate positive effects for germination, seedling growth and development, and productivity. Currently, algaebased biostimulants are being constantly studied. Thus, this study had the objective of evaluating lettuce seed treatment with algae - based biostimulants influence on germination and seedling development. Two algae biostimulants were used, one from Ascophyllum nodosum and the other from Solieria spp. Treatments were: four lettuce cultivars (Batavia Cacimba, Grand Rapids, Great Lakes and Itapuã Super) and four doses (0, 1, 2 and 4 ml. L-1). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a factorial scheme 4 x 4 (cultivars and doses), separately, for each biostimulant, with five replicates. Seed performance was evaluated by: germination, germination speed index, root and shoot length, and root and shoot seedling dry mass, in Federal University of Fronteira Sul, campus Chapecó. The data were submitted to variance analysis, Tukey's test for cultivars comparison (p <0.05) and regression analysis, for dose factor, in SISVAR software. Doses of Ascophyllum nodosum and Solieria spp. biostimulant used in this research do not improve lettuce germination and seedling development. Lettuce cultivars respond differently to seed treatment with brown and red algae biostimulants.