Osmoconditioning of Urochloa brizantha seeds to reduce pelleting negative effects

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the influence of different pelleting materials on the physiological quality of Urochloa brizantha seeds and using osmopriming to reduce possible negative effects of pelleting. The experiment was developed using three levels of seed physiological quality (high, medium and low percentage of germination), treated or not treated with KNO3, to -1.1 MPa for 12 hours. After being washed and dried, the seeds were covered with two types of materials, a composite of sand and microcellulose and another consisting of sand, microcellulose and Explosol®. U. brizantha seed coating affected negatively the germination final percentage, root protrusion speed index, speed of emergence index and seedling emergence. Osmopriming is effective in minimizing the negative effects of pelleting, mainly in physiological medium quality seeds.