[Effect of the fungicide captan on Azospirillum brasilense Cd in pure culture and associated with Setaria italica].

The effect of fungicide captan on growth and nitrogenase activity of Azospirillum brasilense Cd was studied in pure cultures and in association with foxtail millet (Setaria italica) cultivar Carapé under laboratory conditions. The 8 h growth in rotary shaker of A. brasilense was inhibited with 1 mg/l pure captan; however, after 4 days the differences diminished compared with the control without captan. Nitrogenase activity was affected with 10 mg/l but the differences were negligible after 48 h of growth. Root dry weight of inoculated plants was diminished by the treatment of foxtail millet cv. Carapé with captan. Inoculation with A. brasilense Cd increased shoot dry weight, but differences were significant only with respect to the control but not in relation to captan treatments.