Physiological quality and enzyme activity of coating lettuce seeds with different doses of micronutrients, amino acids and growth regulators

Abstract

This work was conducted at Federal University of Lavras with the objective to evaluate the effect of the coating lettuce seeds with different doses of amino acids, micronutrients and growth regulators. The seeds were film-coating with polymer L88, by adding micronutrients, amino acids and growth regulators at four different doses (0; 20; 40; and 60 mL kg-1 of seeds). After film-coating, the seeds were dried at room temperature and after that they were evaluated as for germination percentage, emergence percentage and index of emergence speed of the seedlings and activity of the enzymes esterase and endo-b-mannanase. We concluded that the growth regulators increased the seeds’ germination percentage and the index of emergence speed of seedlings when incorporated into the lettuce seeds between the doses of 20 mL kg-1 and 30 mL kg-1 of the seeds. The coating of lettuce seed with amino acids did not influence in seeds’ germination percentage, emergence and the index of emergence speed of seedlings. The activity of the enzyme esterase in lettuce seeds is not influenced by the external contribution of micronutrients, amino acids and growth regulators. The coating of lettuce seeds with micronutrients, amino acids and growth regulators influenced on the activity of the enzyme endo-b-mannanase.