Protection of Sideroxylon obtusifolium seeds against Colletotrichum sp. with Caesalpinia ferrea extract

Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Roem. & Schul.) Penn. is a native species from Caatinga biome, but due to disorderly exploitation for phytoteraphy industry, it is in danger of extinction. Recent researches report that the diversity of vegetal species in Brazilian semiarid regions, when meticulously assessed through methods that focus on properties of molecules from different plant structures, may present a high potential for the discovery and development of new antifungal substances. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of S. obtusifolium seeds treatment with Caesalpinia ferrea extract on the control of Colletotrichum sp. In each treatment, 100 seeds were inoculated with the pathogen through immersion in a suspension of Colletotrichum sp. conidia, and then subjected to the following treatments: Seeds without treatment and not inoculated (T1), seeds infected with Colletotrichum sp. (T2), infected seeds treated with captan fungicide (T3) and infected seeds treated with C. ferrea extract (T4). C. ferrea extract provided a higher protection to S. obtusifolium seeds and seedlings against Colletotrichum sp., indicating that it is a viable and sustainable biotechnological resource against pathogens and a promising molecule for the development of new antifungal substances. Key words: Antifungal activity, native species, alternative control.