Influence of light and temperature in the germination of oiticica (Licania rigida Benth.)seeds

Abstract

The concern with environmental problems and the scarcity of knowledge about propagation of native species, above all for sexual propagation, has provoked in the last years the interest for studies related to the germinative process of those species. This work, conducted in the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza, had the purpose of evaluating the effects of light and temperature on the germination of seeds of Licania rigida. Four replications, of twelve seeds each, were placed to germinate on wet paper towel within a BOD germination chamber. The completely randomized 3 x 4 factorial design consisted on three light exposure treatments (absence, constant dark and 8 h of light plus 16 h of dark) and four temperature treatments (20; 25; 30 and 25/30 ºC).Data analyzed were percentage, velocity index and average time for germination. The Tukey’s test, at 5% probability level, was used to compare means. The germination of the seeds of Licania rigida were not influenced by light conditions or temperatures within the range utilized, although a small decrease in seed germination was observed for the 20 ºC temperature. The highest index of speed and shortest time of germination occurred at the temperature of 30 ºC, independently of luminosity.