Dormancy, substratum and temperature for germination of Albízia (Albizia lebbeck (L.) seeds

Abstract

Albizia is an arboreous plant of the Leguminosae – Mimosoideae family (Momosaceas). It comes from Tropical Asia and presents a speed growth, ability to fix nitrogen and to improve the soil structure, especially in degraded areas. It also has multiples uses and facilities to co associate with agricultural cultures. The research was lead in two assays with the objective to identify methods to overcome the dormancy in Albizia seeds and to verify the effects of the temperature and the substratum in the germination of these species. In the first assay the seeds were submitted to different methods and periods of immersion to overcome the dormancy using humid heat, immersion in hot water, immersion in sulfuric acid, and mechanic scarification, besides the witness. It was evaluated the percentage of the germination of the rough and dead seeds. In the second assay, after treatment with sulfuric acid for 10 minutes, the seeds were sown over paper and into germitest paper tablecloth and over sand and in sand. Then seeds were put to germinate in germination chambers with the following temperatures: 20, 25, 30, 35, 20-30, 25-35 and 20-35 oC. We concluded that the specie Albizia lebbeck presents seed dormancy, and the mechanic scarification and the sulfuric acid in imbibition periods of 5, 10 and 15 minutes were the best methods to overcome the dormancy; as well as the best conditions for the germination of albízia seeds are among substratum regardless of being a paper or sand and in constant temperatures of 25, 30 and 35 or alternate of 25-35 and 20-35 oC.