Seed germination of Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth, under water stress

• Autor(a) principal: Silva,Lígia M. de M.
• Data de Publicação: 2001
• Outros Autores: Aguiar,Ivor B. de, Rodrigues,Teresinha de J.D.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662001000100021
• topic: forest seed; physiological quality; osmotic potential; polyethyleneglycol

Bowdichia virgilioides (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) is a native tree species in Brazil characteristic of the savannah vegetation. Seeds of this species were submitted to different osmotic potentials induced by polyethyleneglycol (PEG-6000) in order to verify their resistance to drought conditions. Seeds were previously scarified with sulphuric acid and incubated at 25 ºC with an eight hours photoperiod, at osmotic potentials of 0.0, -0.1, -0.3, -0.5, -0.7, -0.9 and -1.1 MPa. It was found that water stress resistance limit ranged from -0.7 to -0.9 MPa. Significant reduction in germination velocity from -0.3 MPa, and final percentage of germination from -0.5 MPa in relation to control, were observed. Germination under drastic conditions of water stress was inhibited, but was restored with an increase of water availability.