Efeitos de óleos essenciais na germinação de sementes de Cereus jamacaru

Abstract

The present work aimed to identify the effects of essential oils of Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Ocimum minimum on the germination of Cereus jamacaru seeds. Samples of 200 seeds were treated with four levels of C. zeylanicum and O. minimum oils at 0,0; 0,5; 1,0 and 2,0%, distributed on germitest paper, with four replications per treatment, and incubated in a germination chamber at 25°C with photoperiod of eight hours light and germination percent evaluated five days after planting. The germination percent, first counting, germination velocity index, and plantlets length and dry mass were determined. Experimental design was com- pletely randomized with four replications of 50 seeds each. Maximum germination and germination velocity index were obtained at level 0,5% with C. zeylanicum oil, while seeds germination decreased when O. minimum oil level increased. Concentration of 0,5% of C. zeylanicum oil expressed the higher length of plants and higher dry mass on level of 0,5% for both oils. Results concluded that C. zeylanicum and O. minimum oils in tested levels increased C. jamacaru seeds germination index and vigor of C. jacamaru seeds.