DESICCATION TOLERANCE OF SEEDS OF Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth. - Fabaceae

The purpose with this experiment was to evaluate the sucupira-preta seeds tolerance to the desiccation. Seeds initially with 10.63% of humidity were submitted to a drying until reaching the following water tenors: 10.63% (control); 10.0%; 9.5%; 9.0%; 8.5%; 7.5%; 7.0%; and 6.5%. Then they were preheated for 24 hours in recipients with air relative humidity of about 100% to avoid harming by the quick absorption. Next, they were scarified with water sandpaper number 120 and accommodated in Petri plate on filter paper and set to germinate in germination chamber type BOD at 25 degrees C and photoperiod for 12 hours, during 30 days. Radicle with 2 mm long was the germination criterion used in this experiment. The experimental design was the completely randomized, with four replications of 25 seeds per treatment. The averages were compared using Tukey test at 5% of probability. Sucupira-preta seeds tolerate dehydration until they touch on 9% of water tenor, when they show germination of 24%, not differing from the control (31%). Due to these results they can be classified as orthodoxy, feature that enable the storage away from their natural environment.