This work was carried out with the aim to develop a method to inoculate seeds of
maize by the fungi Diplodia maydis, Cephalosporium acremonium and Fusarium moniliforme.
Seeds were placed in contact with growing colonies of the fungi in PDA medium amended with
mannitol at concentrations as such to produce osmotic potentials in the range of -0.6 to -1.2MPa.
After the incubation period for each osmotic potential, established with basis on the begining of
the germination process, the seeds were removed from the Petri disches and submitted to the
germination test, soil emergency and health condition. At higher osmotic potentials the radicle
protrusion was efficiently impeded during the inoculation period, but seed germination after that
was not affected. Higher number of diseased seedlings was produced at higher osmotic potentials,
meaning that water restriction technique provides proper conditions to produce diseased seeds.