Dormancy break in piptadenia moniliformis benth seeds

Abstract

The rapidly-growing honey-tree species Piptadenia moniliformis Benth. is typical of the Brazilian northeastern caatinga (scrubland), where it is found abundantly, contiguously and irregularly dispersed. The thin branches and leaves of this tree are used as animal fodder. The seeds of P. moniliformis present dormancy due to the seed-coat being impermeable to water. We evaluated the efficiency of pre-germinating treatments to overcome P. moniliformis dormancy and maximize and uniformize germination. A total of 28 pre-germination treatments were investigated: immersion in water at 70 °C, 80 °C or 90 °C; boiling for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes; immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 minutes; and no treatment (control). After treatment, seeds were sown on paper and incubated at alternating temperatures of 20 °C-30 °C. Four replicates of 25 seeds were used for each treatment. The factors evaluated were: percentage of seeds with primary root protrusion; percentage of normal seedlings; percentage of hard seeds and the speed of germination index. The experimental design was completely randomized and the means were compared using the Scott-Knott test at a probability of 5%. Immersion in water, independent of the temperature and immersion period, increased germination as compared to control seeds but was less efficient than the longer periods of immersion in sulfuric acid. Thus, the immersion in sulfuric acid for 20, 25 and 30 minutes is recommended for the overcoming of Piptadenia moniliformis Benth. seeds.