Germination of Dypsis decaryi (Jum.) Beentje & J. Dransf. (Arecaceae) seeds

Dypsis decaryi (Jum.) Beentje & J. Dransf. is an important palm with ornamental commercial value. Although it reproduces sexually, there are no data available as far as what are the factors that affect this species seed germination. The purpose of this work is to study the potential effects of temperature and substrate in Dypsis decaryi seed germination. The research framework is based on randomization, using a 6 X 2 factorial schema (six different temperatures, 25 degrees C, 30 degrees C, 35 degrees C, 20-30 degrees C, 25-35 degrees C and room temperature, combined with two types of substratum, sand and vermiculite) with 5 repetitions of 20 seeds. The researcher made daily records on the number of germinated seeds, and the criteria used was protusion of the germination plug. After 35 days data become stable. The Index of Germination Speed (IVG) and germination percentage were then calculated (data were converted to sen). The averages for these two indexes were compared using the Scott-Knott method with a probability of 5%. The data show that the higher percentages of germination were obtained with a sand substratum at temperatures of 25 degrees C (86%), 25-35 degrees C (92%) and lab room temperature (93%), and with a vermiculite substratum, at temperatures of 25 degrees C (76%), 30 degrees C (83%), 20-30 degrees C (87%), 25-35 degrees C (80%) and room temperature (91%). The seeds germinated sooner in the lab environment, for both substrates. The percentage of germination at 35 degrees C was markedly lower, both on sand (21%) and vermiculite (38%). In this case, the seeds took longer to germinate and germination was not uniform.