Determination of germination conditions and the effect of pretreatments in Cuphea glutinosa seeds (Lythraceae).

Abstract

: Determination of germination conditions and the effect of pretreatments in Cuphea glutinosa seeds (Lythraceae). Cuphea glutinosa shows a high agronomic and agroindustrial potential. Germination conditions for this species are unknown. The objective of the work is to determine germination conditions, their impairments and the treatments to overcome them. There were utilized healthy seeds, complete and quite filled, gathered from a population of Sierra de los Padres, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. There were applied the following treatments, in six repetitions of 50 seeds, in a completely randomized design: blank, scarified, gibberellic acid, darkness, potassium nitrate, stratification and temperature alternation. The germination conditions after the pre-treatments were 24 °C (+/-1) under light, 100 µE.m-2.sec-1. The counts of emerged rootlets were performed at 6 and 12 days, except for the treatment with darkness, in which they were performed at 12 and 18 days. The effect of the treatments was evaluated by ANOVA and Tuckey tests (p = 0,05). The population showed 50 % of germination; positive response to light, to stratification, and to potassium nitrate. There was no effect with scarification neither with temperature alternation. The gibberellic acid showed a negative effect in the percentage of germination, and affected the carbon partition during the growing of seedlings