Abstract

NOGUEIRA, Narjara W. et al. Physical and physiological aspects in seeds of Mimosa ophthalmocentra Mart. ex Benth. Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2019, vol.42, n.3, pp.71-80. ISSN 0871-018X.  https://doi.org/10.19084/rca.18197.

This study aimed to characterize Mimosa ophthalmocentra fruits and seeds, the process of water absorption and set the best pre-germination treatment to overcome dormancy. This plant species is native of Brazilian Caatinga and has a high energetic value for alcohol production and vegetal coal. Biometric characterization was done with 100 fruits and 100 seeds from two lots. For the characterization of the seed hydration, the process was carried out soaking curve of seed lots with and without lopping. In order to evaluate the best method of breaking seed dormancy, a completely randomized experimental design was used in a 2 x 9 factorial scheme (harvest years x pre-germination treatments). We also evaluated nine pre-germinating treatments to overcome seed dormancy: control; cutting with scissors and scarification with sandpaper 80, at the opposite end to the hilum; hot water at 80 °C for 3, 6 and 12 minutes and sulfuric acid (98%) for 3, 6 and 12 minutes, and evaluated the percentage and speed of germination index, shoot length and root dry weight of shoot, root and total. The seeds of M. ophthalmocentra have low variation for biometric features and the larger variations occur from plant materials. Seed germination starts after 19 hours of imbibition, regardless of plant material. The scarification with sandpaper 80 or emerges with scissors at the opposite end to the hilum are the methods set out to overcome dormancy in M. ophthalmocentra seeds.

Keywords : biometrics; dormancy; Caatinga; germination; water absorption.

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