This work was carried out to obtain maize (Zea mays) seeds with Acremonium strictum, by means of an adapted water restriction technique, in order to use them in pathogen-host studies. An evaluation was made of the effects of mannitol, NaCl and KCl at potentials of -0.48; -0.6; -0.8; -1.0; -1.2 and -1.4 MPa in malt extract agar medium (MEA) on the colony morphology and sporulation of A. strictum, and on radicle protrusion of maize seeds. Also evaluated was the correlation between different exposition periods of the seeds to the fungal colony and its incidence on disinfested and non-disinfested seeds with NaClO 1% (2 min). The micelial growth of A. strictum was stimulated in MEA + mannitol medium at potentials of -0.6 to -1.4 MPa. The morphology of A. strictum colonies in MEA medium for all the solutes used differed from the colonies in the control treatment (-0.48 MPa). Fungal sporulation was stimulated by mannitol on potentials -0.8 to -1.4 MPa in MEA. The lowest percentages of radicle protrusion in maize seeds were observed in cases when seeds were exposed to water restriction induced by MEA + mannitol at potential of -1,4 MPa; MEA + NaCl at -1,2 and -1,4 MPa. The NaCl, however, was verified to cause toxic effects in seed germination. This work shows that it is possible to obtain A. strictum infection in 36% of maize seeds infected by means of water restriction.
fungus; seed; inoculation; infection; protrusion in maize seeds
