Abstract
Inoculation of rhizobacteria in seeds and plants has been documented as a stimulant and promoter of germination and growth of agricultural crops, but there is little information on native forest species. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the potential of Azospirillum brasilense inoculation in the germination of seeds and initial growth of seedlings of native forest species. The following experiments were carried out: (I) germination of seeds in germination chamber, and (II) initial growth of seedlings in nursery, both with four forest species (Cassia leptophylla, Lafoensia pacari, Mimosa flocculosa and Schinus terebinthifolius). For the four species, in both experiments, two treatments were used: inoculation of seeds with concentrated solution of A. brasilense and no inoculation of seeds (control). Physiological aspects of seed germination and seedling vigor were evaluated in the first experiment (germination speed, and length and dry weight of seedlings), and seedling growth was evaluated in the second experiment (height, collar diameter and dry weight of seedlings). Inoculation of A. brasilense in seeds of C. leptophylla, L. pacari, M. flocculosa and S. terebinthifolius did not promote beneficial or promising results for seed germination and initial growth of seedlings, so its use to produce seedlings of these species is not recommended.
Highlights
The growing awareness of society about the benefits of forest and landscape restoration has stimulated an engagement among many countries to develop global restoration commitments linked to national policies, aiming to turn large-scale forest restoration into reality (SUDING et al, 2015; CHAZDON et al, 2016)
The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of Azospirillum brasilense inoculation in the germination of seeds and initial growth of seedlings of native forest species
Experiment I: germination of seeds Inoculation of seeds with A. brasilense did not significantly influence the germination of seeds and vigor of seedlings of C. leptophylla, L. pacari, M. flocculosa and S. terebinthifolius based on the physiological aspects evaluated
Summary
The growing awareness of society about the benefits of forest and landscape restoration has stimulated an engagement among many countries to develop global restoration commitments linked to national policies, aiming to turn large-scale forest restoration into reality (SUDING et al, 2015; CHAZDON et al, 2016). In Brazil, global agreements aligned with national policies have led to an increase in the demand for seedlings of native forest species, in order to minimize the damage caused to the environment, resuming ecosystem services and conserving biodiversity (MESQUITA et al, 2010; RODRIGUES et al, 2011; SILVA et al, 2016). The success in the production of forest seedlings for economic or conservation purposes depends on the knowledge of the aspects of seed germination and seedling formation. The germination process in the seed can be affected by external or environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen, moisture and substrate, and by FLORESTA, Curitiba, PR, v. C. et al ISSN eletrônico 1982-4688 internal factors such as seed viability, moisture content, desiccation tolerance, dormancy and hormonal balance (MARCOS-FILHO, 2015). Gibberellin is the plant hormone that promotes seed germination, acting in the synthesis of hydrolytic enzymes that are essential to the degradation of reserves accumulated in the endosperm and embryo, releasing energy for primary root protrusion and elongation (TAIZ; ZEIGER, 2013)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
