Germinação de sementes de melão-de-são-caetano sob variação de água, luz e temperatura

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate germination of Momordica charantia L. seeds under different conditions of: water availability (0.0, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6, -0.8 and -1.0 MPa), temperature (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) and quality of incident light (filter dark, red, green, yellow, red off, blue, orange and without filter). For each variable evaluated, experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design with four replicates kept under controlled conditions (germination chamber). There were higher percentages of germination under conditions of mild water restriction (-0.2 MPa) and temperatures around 25 °C, regardless of the quality of light. Temperatures below 20 °C and above 30 °C reduced germination, although lower temperatures had strongly effects on germination. Water availability lower than -0.2 MPa strongly reduced germination, which was inhibited in the treatments of -0.8 and 1.0 MPa.