Growth regulators can influence the physiological quality of seeds as well as the activity of enzymes involved in germination. They may, further, present in their formulation micronutrients which act mainly as enzyme catalysts. In this research work, hybrid corn seeds of the cultivar GNZ 2004 and line Le 57 were treated with the following biostimulants and dosages: 1.Stimulate® 12.5mL/kg of seed, 2.Cellerate® 10,0mL/kg, 3.mixtue of Cellerate®+ Stimulate® (10.0mL/kg + 12.5 mL/kg), 4.Booster® 100 mL/20kg and 5.control. Soon after the treatment, the seeds were submitted to the tests of germination, accelerated ageing and cold and seedling emergence tests. In addition, mass of dry matter of seedlings, shoot and roots and the activities of the enzymes á-amylase, catalase, esterase and peroxidase were evaluated. In the biostimulanttreated seeds, there were no improvements in the quality of seeds and under stressful conditions, the use of the biostimulants Stimulate®+Cellerate® and Cellerate® reduced the physiological quality of corn seeds. Increased activity of the peroxidase enzyme was found in seeds treated with Stimulate®, Cellerate® and Stimulate®+Cellerate® . Increased activity of the enzyme esterase was observed in seeds treated with Stimulate®+ Cellerate® pointing out phytotoxicity of them.
Zea mays; growth regulators; germination
