Armazenamento de sementes de soja em atmosfera modificada e controlada e exposição aos raios UV

Abstract

The preservation of high quality soybeans seeds in Brazil can be affected by the region‟s climate and its handling during the off-season. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate storage techniques of soy preserved in high temperature, as occurs in Midwestern regions of the country, with the exposure of soybeans seeds to ultraviolet radiation, storage in the controlled and modified atmosphere with an injection of inert gases in a silo. The BMX Potency RR‟ and NA 5909 RR‟ cultivars were stored in 20L mini bulk for six months at a temperature of 25°C and relative air humidity of 60%. The following treatments were evaluated: control (open mini silo); controlled atmosphere (CA); 1 kPa of O2 + 0 kPa of CO2; 1 kPa of O2 + 30 kPa of CO2; 7 kPa of O2 + 50 kPa of CO2; exposure to UV-B and UV-C radiation. The quality of the soybeans seeds was assessed at the beginning and after a period of six months of storage by the following parameters: seeds water content; germination; electrical conductivity; seedling emergence on field and sanitary analysis. The soybeans seeds water content decreased in all of the treatments during the storage. The CA treatment with partial pressures of 1 kPa O2 + 30 kPa CO2 was the only condition that kept the soybean seeds germination above 80%, differing from the control treatment in both cultivars. The high incidence of Aspergillus flavus did not damage the germination of soybeans seeds stored in CA. This technique could be an alternative to the conventional and cool storage in hot regions during the soy crop off-season. The use of high CO2 levels and the UV radiation inhibited the development of Penicillium spp; the high incidence of Aspergillus flavus also inhibited the development of this fungus.