Influence of Sargassum spp. extract on germination and antioxidant activity of tomato seedlings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v17i2.4239Keywords:
Solanum lycopersicum L., biostimulants, seed primingAbstract
In recent years, the macroalga Sargassum spp. has become an economic and environmental problem in several coastal regions. Nonetheless, due to the wide variety of bioactive compounds it possesses, it has been proposed as a sustainable alternative in agriculture, as it can improve seed germination, nutrient absorption, and photosynthesis, and mitigate biotic and abiotic stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of priming tomato seeds with aqueous extracts of Sargassum spp. on germination, vigor, biomass, photosynthetic pigments and some indicators of the antioxidant system of seedlings. The concentrations of the extracts were: 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5%, and a control with distilled water. The results indicate that the extracts improved germination, vigor, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity and photosynthetic pigments. There were no significant improvements in biomass. These results suggest that applying Sargassum spp. extracts may be an ecological alternative to improve germination parameters and stimulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites in tomato seedlings.
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