Physiological and sanitary quality of sorghum seeds under the effect of oxalic and salicylic acid

Sorghum is one of the world’s most important cereal crops, but it is susceptible to several diseases, particularly fungal diseases, with seeds being the main vehicle for dissemination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) and oxalic acid (OA) on the physiological and sanitary quality of sorghum seeds. The seeds of Sorghum bicolor (L.) were immersed for 1 hour in solutions of OA (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mM) and SA (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mM). A treatment with Captan® fungicide was also used, and the control group was immersed in distilled H2O for 1 hour. Variables from seed vigor tests and fungal incidence tests were evaluated. The control group showed the highest germination rate. However, among the treatments, the doses of 1 mM OA and 0.5 mM SA resulted in higher germination in the first germination count. The application of 1 mM OA and both doses of SA (0.5 mM and 1 mM) promoted a greater seedling vigor index (GVI). Seeds treated with 1 mM OA and doses of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2.0 mM SA, as well as those treated with fungicide, had the highest emergence rates, and with 1.5 mM SA, the highest length of the longest root (LVEI). Seedlings from seeds treated with 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM SA and with 0.5 and 1.5 mM had the highest coleoptile length (CPA). The 0.5 mM dose of SA reduced the incidence of Aspergillus flavus, and the doses of 2 mM OA and 1, 1.5, and 2 mM SA reduced the incidence of Rhizopus stolonifer to 0%. SA provided the best physiological and health effects for sorghum seeds, making it the best treatment.