The quality of the seeds used for sowing is fundamental for a high productivity and quality of the crop. Therefore, eradicating pathogens is essential for the plant to develop in the best possible way. The eradication of those pathogens can be accomplished by means of treatments that consist of the application of substances to the seeds or by performing physical procedures. Thermotherapy is a physical treatment, in which the seed is exposed to a given thermal energy, such as heated air or steam, and can be highly efficient for controlling those pathogens, in addition to reducing environmental damage and costs. The present work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of thermotherapy in two ways: wet heat (water) and dry heat (water vapor), both at 60 °C, alternating the exposure time to the thermal sources. The treatment with humid heat with a time of exposure of 5 min was the most efficient, since it presented higher germination percentages (83%) and less occurrence of Fusarium sp. (33%). It was observed that the most efficient thermotherapy is in the control of Fusarium, the most aggressive is for the quality of the seed. The quality of the treatments was evaluated through standard methodologies, according to the rules for seed analysis, such as germination and sanitation tests. Biospeckle laser was used to identify the microbial activity in these seeds, through activity maps generated by laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) processing. In this way, the research involving thermotherapy can be done by varying the temperature and the time of exposure to obtain values that considerably reduce the pathogenic agents and preserve the quality, in order to maintain the values of germination and vigor acceptable for commercialization.
Abstract:The present work aimed to study the treatment with the bioprotector Trichoderma harzianum on maize seeds immediately after treatment and during storage. Maize seeds were analyzed through germination test, vigor tests (cold test, accelerated aging and aerial length), and the viability of the treated seeds was verified through the biospeckle. Seed treatment is recommended because approximately 90% of crops intended for human and animal feeding are seed-propagated. A pathogen present in the seed results in increased diseases in the adult plant, in addition to introducing pathogens in other areas. So the seed treatment can provide better results than chemicals disease control on plants. Bioprotectors have antagonistic fungi that produce metabolites and enzymes that will avoid the proliferation of phytopathogenic fungi. Among the bioprotectors, Trichoderma spp., used for phytosanitary control of seeds, stands out. The tests were carried out with treatment in order to evaluate the physiological potential caused by the treatment with the bioprotector. The biospeckle experimental runs were performed in parallel with the sanitation test. The germination percentages of 93.0%, 87.5%, and 87.5%, respectively, showed that they were all above the minimum requirement for commercialization, which is 85%. Analyzing the vigor and sanitation tests, it was verified that the best treatment was on day zero. Among the seeds analyzed through biospeckle, using the laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) technique, it was possible to identify fungi activity.
Na unidade de armazenagem são realizados processos de limpeza e secagem, nos quais grãos de milho podem sofrer danos que agravariam a qualidade, como ataque de fungos e grãos quebrados. O objetivo desse projeto é simular em laboratório esses danos para que se possa entender e melhorar processos para a redução das perdas.
Abstract:The objective of this paper was to evaluate the sugar and water content in sugar cane samples by means of two non-destructive techniques in comparison with conventional methods. One non-destructive technique is the Biospeckle, an interaction between the laser and the biological material which provides information about the material. The other technique is the near infrared spectroscopy (NIR). The Biospeckle technique has been constantly used in agricultural engineering. In this paper, the relation between the water and the sugar contents were obtained. The results for the Biospeckle were acquired through the moment of inertia (MI). The data acquired through already consolidated methodologies were used to quantify the samples' water and sugar contents, correlating to the spectroscopy results and also to the Biospeckle. It was obtained a high determination coefficient (R 2 = 0.9287) between the predicted Brix by the model generated by NIR spectroscopy and Brix measured by refractometer. It was also possible to differentiate the water contents of the sugar cane samples both externally lit (husk) and internally lit (cut) by Biospeckle analysis through the calculation of MI. It is possible to evaluate the water content and the sugar content in samples combining Biospeckle and NIR spectroscopy, which are non-invasive and non-destructive methods.
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