EFFECT OF SEED DIFFUSATES ON FUNGAL POPULATION AND GERMINATION OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS / EFECTO DE EXTRACTOS DE SEMILLAS SOBRE LA POBLACION DE HONGOS Y LA GERMINACION DE SEMILLAS DEL GIRASOL / EFFET DES EXTRAITS DE SEMENCE SUR LA POPULATION DE CHAMPIGNONS ET SUR LA GERMINATION DES GRAINES DE TOURNESOL
SUMMARYAll four seed diffusates used for treatment of sunflower seeds, Azadirachtaindica, Capsicum annuum, Coriandrum sativum and Eugenia jambulana, reduced the populations of seed-borne fungi: Alternaria alternata, Drechslera tetramera, Emericellopsis terricola, Fusarium moniliforme, F.semitectum, Macrophomina phaseolina and Phoma oleracea. Of four seed diffusates, those from A.indica and C.sativum controlled the fungal populations almost 100%. Seed germination was increased in seed samples of both sunflower cultivars under study, HO-1 and NK-212. The obtained results indicate that seed diffusates could substitute costly chemicals for safe control of seed-borne diseases, protecting at the same time the environment from chemical pollution.