Beans represent the main source of vegetal protein, they are cultivated in all regions of Brazil, generally with the usage of own seeds and of bad quality, justifying the development of seed treatments to improve the quality of the seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the osmotic conditioning and the application of zinc on the performance of seeds and bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Essays with the varieties Carioca, Macanudo, FT-120 were set up at the Seed Production Analysis Laboratory, of the Crop Production Department of UFSM, and at the experimental area of the Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, in Júlio de Castilhos/RS. The three varieties were submitted to the following treatments: control (without pregerminative treatment); PEG 6000 (polyethylene glycol, -15 bars during 16 hours); PEG 6000 + ZnSO4 (polyethylene glycol 6000, -15 bars during 16 hours + 5.5g of ZnSO4/kg of seeds) and ZnSO4 (5.5g of ZnSO4/kg of seeds). After the application of treatments, seeds of the three varieties were evaluated concerning the germination and dash, at the laboratory. In the field, the number of growing plants was evaluated, also their performance and yield. It was concluded that it’s possible the association of PEG 6000 (- 15 bars, 16 hours under 25°C ) plus Zinc (5.5g/kg of seed) for the osmotic conditioning and the application of this micronutrient on the bean seeds. The osmotic conditioning with PEG 6000 isolated or associated with zinc increases the insertion height of the first pod, the number of pods per plant and the number of seeds per pod in bean plants.
beans; micronutrient; seeds
