Conditioning in the promotion and uniformization of Umbu seed germination

Abstract

Seed dormancy may decrease during storage and some environmental conditions may accelerate this process. The aim of this work was to determine efficient techniques to condition umbu seeds in order to promote and standardize their germination. Seeds were stored for 180 days in paper bags kept in five ambient conditions: laboratory (25 degrees C and 55% RH); warm oven (40 degrees C and 53% RH); hot oven (50 degrees C and 49% RH); dry chamber (18 degrees C and 65% RH) and cold chamber (10 degrees C and 65% RH). Seed quality was evaluated every 60 days by means of the following tests and determinations: water content; germination test (25 degrees C and 55% RH, weekly evaluated up to 91 days after sowing); first count test (14 days); germination rate index; mean germination time and electrical conductivity. The conditioning of umbu seeds in laboratory, or in warm oven (40 degrees C) used efficient techniques to promote and standardize germination; under these conditions, after six months of storage, germination increased from 31% to 84 and 74%, respectively.