Seed quality and pregermination treatments to improve germination time and percentage in nursery of Retrophyllum rospigliosii

Abstract

As a contribution to the conservation of Retrophyllum rospigliosii, seeds were collected from individuals in experimental 20-year plantations to evaluate seed quality, germination, and biomass content after the emergence of this species. It was found that, depending on the provenance, under the treatment of mechanical stimulation plus scarification, a germination rate of 84.84 % was achieved within an average time of 51 days. Biomass was maximized in the control treatment (without scarification or phytohormone), where 0.182 g of aerial biomass and 0.049 g of root biomass were reached one month after seedling emergence. The results indicate the possibility of increasing the germination percentage and significantly accelerating the period of emergence of the embryo of this widely threatened species in high mountain ecosystems.