Chitosan is a polymer that has been tested for production as well the induction of resistance from fruits against pathogens that cause rots. The objective of this work was to test the effect of chitosan treatments upon Acacia mearnsii seeds in relation to initial development and biochemical characterization of seedlings. The present research was carried out in Silviculture Unepe and in the Plant Health Laboratory at the Federal Technological University of Paraná - Campus Dois Vizinhos. Acacia mearnsii seeds were treated with different concentrations of chitosan (0; 0.25; 0.5; 1 and 2%) and grown in tubes with substrate contaminated with Rhizoctonia solani. Twenty two days after sowing, the emergence percentage, the index of germination speed, the seedling height, the radicule length, the fresh weight, and biochemical variables of leaf tissues, the protein content and total phenolic compounds and the activity of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were evaluated. The results showed that concentrations of chitosan between 0.6 and 0.9 % were more effective in promoting germination and seedling development. Biochemically, chitosan demonstrated ability to change the protein content and activity of PAL, an enzyme which is the branching point between primary and secondary metabolism, indicating the possibility of activation of the plant defense system by seed treatment with chitosan.
Black acacia; Rhizoctonia solani; Damping-off
