Fungos associados às sementes de Vigna unguiculata L.: incidência e efeitos na qualidade fisiológica com uso do extrato vegetal de Momordica charantia L.

Abstract

The health and physiology of the seed is of paramount importance when it comes to controlling phytopathogens and plant diseases. The associated fungi in the seeds of Vigna unguiculata L. stand out in storage fungi and field fungi, thus allowing us to understand the behaviors and their damage. The present work aimed to identify the fungi associated with cowpea seeds and the use of the plant extract of Momordica charantia L. as an alternative means to inhibit the development of pathogens. The seeds analyzed came from the Nelson Mandela Settlement, located in Ponto Novo – Bahia. The experiment was carried out at the Semiarid Plant Health Laboratory – LAFISA, CDSA. The treatments consisted of: T1 – Witness; T2 – Dicarboximide fungicide (240g/100 kg of seeds); T3 – São Caetano Melon Plant Extract (EVMc) 1000 ppm; T4 – EVMc 2000 ppm; T5 – EVMc 3000 ppm; T6 – EVMc 4000 ppm; T7 – EVMc 5000 ppm; T8 – EVMc 6000 ppm and T9 – EVMc 7000 ppm. Regression analysis was performed for quantitative data with the significance of the models verified by the F test (p ≤ 0.05). In cowpea seeds, the following fungal genera were identified: Aspergillus flavus (15%); Cladosporium sp. (4%), Rhizopus sp. (6%) and Fusarium sp. (2%). Plant extract dosages of 5,000; 6,000 and 7,000 ppm were the most efficient when compared to each other in reducing fungi. The dosage of 7,000 ppm is the most recommended, considering that it eradicated almost all identified fungal genera. There was no negative influence of the plant extract on the physiological quality of cowpea seeds.