Comportamento germinativo de sementes de talisia subalbens (mart.)radlk. (sapindaceae) submetidas a diferentes temperaturas e condições de secagem

Abstract

Talisia subalbens (Mart.) Radlk. (Sapindaceae), a shrubby species, is considered endemic to Mato Grosso. The aim of this study was to evaluate the responses of its seeds to factors such as the optimum germination temperature and the effect of different drying conditions on the physiological quality of the seeds. In the first experiment, seed germination under different temperatures was evaluated: 15ºC-25ºC and 25ºC-35ºC (alternate), 25ºC and 35ºC (constant). In the second experiment, the seeds were submitted to different drying conditions: fast (oven at 35ºC) and slow (room temperature at 28±2ºC). The germination tests were performed in a B.O.D-type chamber, under a photoperiod of 12 hours, using vermiculite as the substrate. The experimental design was the completely randomized with four replications of 25 seeds for each sample, and the average values of germination at the different temperatures compared by the Tukey test (5%). Seeds germinated at 25ºC, 35ºC, and 25ºC-35ºC presented higher percentages of germination, not differing from each other. However, greater vigor was found at 35ºC, this being considered the optimum temperature. The lowest values of germination and germination index (GI) occurred at 15ºC-25ºC. The initial moisture of the seeds was 48%. The drying of the seeds negatively affected the germination, with the critic moisture content of 25% and the fast drying being more favorable to the germination.