Physiological quality of Arabica coffee seeds treated with essential oils

The preservation of Coffea arabica L. seeds is essential to obtain vigorous and healthy seedlings, but there are no registered fungicides for their phytosanitary treatment during the storage phase. Therefore, essential oils appear as promising alternatives due to the presence of bioactive compounds with potential antimicrobial action, in addition to contributing to the sustainability of the production chain. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of Arabica coffee seeds treated with different essential oils during storage. Six essential oils (Rosmarinus officinalis, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon winterianus, Syzygium aromaticum, Eucalyptus globulus and Melaleuca alternifolia), a synthetic fungicide (TECTO®) and a control were used, subjected to five storage periods (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months). The physiological quality of the seeds was verified by means of standard germination and vigor tests: moisture content, germination, accelerated aging, seedling emergence and emergence speed index. There was a significant interaction between treatments and storage time for all variables analyzed. The essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis and Cymbopogon winterianus preserved seed germination and vigor for up to nine months, a performance similar to that of the synthetic fungicide. Thus, these oils stand out as viable alternatives to the conventional fungicide treatment of Arabica coffee seeds.