Curva de absorção de água EM sementes de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.)

Abstract

To be successful in setting up and establishing a new culture, it is necessary to use seed with high germination and vigor. The first stage of germination of a seed is hydration, whose intensity depends on the rate of water absorption. The objective of this study was to characterize the water absorption in seeds of physic nut four lots, with different sizes and weights. The imbibition curve was drawn from four replicates of 25 seeds per lots, which were put to soak in rolls of filter paper, moistened with distilled water at a ratio of 2.5 times its dry weight, and maintained at temperatures 25 and 30 °C. In the first six hours of soaking, every hour, the seeds were removed from the rolls of paper, dried and weighed. Subsequently, the weights were taken at regular intervals over time, until it detects visible germination, the radicle protrusion. From the results, it appears that the absorption of water and consequent weight gain by the seeds of physic nut are quite fast, since all treatments there was a rapid absorption of water in the first 6 hours. It was observed that the water uptake curve displays a triphasic pattern. Seeds large light and small and small heavy water was faster than heavy seeds large. Water uptake was faster at 30 °C. The duration of phase II ranging approximately between 11 and 7 hours for the temperature of 25 °C and 4 and 1 hour to 30 °C.