Effect of chemical treatment on the physiological and sanitary quality of stored coffee seeds

Abstract

Maintaining the health of coffee seeds is especially important during storage, as soil fungi and storage fungi can considerably reduce seed quality. Thus, chemical treatments for protection of seeds in storage becomes important in agricultural production. It is necessary to evaluate the effects of these treatments on seedling development and the protection they provide against storage fungi, aiming at seed longevity and preventing rapid deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chemical treatment on the physiological and sanitary quality of stored coffee seeds. Seeds of five Coffea arabica cultivars were pre-dried, treated with Vitavax®- Thiram, and placed in cold storage at 10 °C for nine months. Seed physiological quality was evaluated every three months by the germination test and by determination of root emergence percentage, seedlings with expanded cotyledonary leaves, and seedling dry matter. Seed health quality was assessed by the health test. The chemical treatment with Vitavax-Thiram does not affect the physiological quality of stored Coffea arabica seeds. Seed treatment before storage is effective in reducing the inoculum potential of Fusarium spp. and Phoma spp. in coffee seeds.