Germinative potential of Ocimum basilicum L. seeds in commercial substrate and soil conditioner

Abstract

In the production process Ocimum basilicum seeds, the substrate selection is an important characteristic in qualitative terms, as way to obtain a great culture development, in addition to reducing the production costs. The objective of this research was to analyze different concentrations of commercial substrate associated with a soil conditioner, based on tanned bovine manure, in the germination of O. basilicum seeds. The research was conducted under greenhouse conditions, in a completely randomized experimental design, and composed by six treatments [commercial substrate (100%) (T1); commercial substrate (80%) + tanned bovine manure (20%) (T2); commercial substrate (60%) + tanned bovine manure (40%) (T3); commercial substrate (40%) + tanned bovine manure (60%) (T4); commercial substrate (20%) + tanned bovine manure (80%) (T5); and tanned bovine manure (100%) (T6)], and six replicates, and each replicate was characterized by 10 cells from the tray. The seeds were placed into plastic polyethylene trays, under steel countertops. After filling the cells with each treatment, sowing was carried out, and after second day of planting, evaluation was carried out regarding the average number of germination seeds, germination speed index (GSI) and the average germination time (AGT). The best results were related to the treatments based on commercial substrate and also commercial substrate (80%) + tanned bovine manure (20%), with average seed germination above 78.33%, and addition to higher GSI, with average above 1.21, and lower AGT, whose average was below 6.78 days, showing the positive effect of the addition of up to 20% tanned bovine manure in the commercial substrate Carolina Soil®, regarding the germination of O. basilicum seeds.