Phisiological quality and tolerance of Genipa americana L. seed submetted to drying

Abstract

The jenipapo (Genipa americana, L.) is a Neotropical fruit tree that ranges from northern South America to Argentina. It is used in urban afforestation, and has characteristics that aid degraded area restoration, while its fruit are economically important in the manufacture of confectionary, jams, wines and spirits. The propagation of the species occurs by seeds, but with slow and uneven germination. Therefore, understanding the germination processes in a species sensitive to desiccation is an important factor in solving jenipapo seed storage problems. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of seed drying on jenipapo emergency and initial growth. Seeds were from the municipality of Umbaúba, Sergipe state, Brazil, and after cleaning, were submitted to different drying periods (0; 24; 48; 72; 96 and 120 hours) at a temperature of 28 ºC ± 2 ºC. Sowing was carried out in polyethylene bags containing soil and washed coir in 2:1 (v/v) proportions. Evaluated variables were: water content, emergence of seeds, emergence speed index, seedling length, leaf number, leaf size and seedling fresh and dry weight. The seeds are classified as identical and lose their moisture content as measured. There was a reduction in the quality of the configuration and in the growth of seedlings after 48 hours of drying.