Concentration- and Time-Dependent Effect of Disinfectant Treatment on Sorghum Seeds

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is an annual crop belonging to Poaceae, and is the fifth-largest crop after maize, wheat, rice, and barley. This study was conducted to establish an efficient seed sterilization method to manage fungal or bacterial infections of germinating sorghum seeds. Two varieties of sorghum seeds (BTx623 and SAP317) were treated with benomylthiram and thiophanate-methyl triflumizole which are known to be effective disinfectants for sorghum seeds. For SAP317, the highest germination rate was accomplished with 24-hour treatment of both chemicals at a 200× dilution rate. For BTx623, the highest germination rate was observed after 24-hour treatment at a 200×/400× dilution rate for benomyl-thiram and control/200× for thiophanate-methyl triflumizole. Consequently, the optimal treatment for the seed disinfection in sorghum seeds may be at the dilution rate of 200× or 400× for 24 hours.