Controle de fungos com óleo de eucalipto e transmissão de Fusarium sp. em sementes de Mimosa caesalpiniifolia

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of Eucalyptus globulus essential oil on the health and physiological quality of seeds of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. and the transmission of Fusarium sp. associated with seeds. The seeds were immersed in four concentrations of E. globulus essential oil (0.25%; 0.50%; 0.75% and 1.0%). The seeds were also treated with Captana fungicide (240g for 100 kg of seeds) and immersed in sterile distilled water (control). After being treated, the seeds were evaluated by the health test, using the filter paper method (blotter test) and by the physiological quality through germination, first count, germination speed index and seedling length. The transmission of Fusarium sp. via seeds was also assessed, as it is considered potentially pathogenic. The identified fungi were: Cladosporium sp. (16.5%), Aspergillus sp. (15.5%), Fusarium sp. (7.5%), Penicillium sp. (4.0%), Rhizopus sp. (2.5%) and Periconia sp. (0.5%). The essential oil of E. globulus, in any concentration, reduced efficiently the incidence of fungi associated with M. caesalpiniifolia seeds and did not affect the physiological quality of the treated seeds. Fusarium sp. was transmitted via seeds and caused root rot and hypocotyl necrosis.