Biometric and Physiological Quality of Bracatinga Seeds From Different Mother Trees

Renata Diane Menegatti,Adelar Mantovani,Marcio Navroski

doi:10.1590/2179-8087.035916

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mimosa scabrella Bentham (bracatinga) is a prominent forest species in the south of the country, due mainly to the high rate of increase, rapid development cycle, and to enable multiple uses of wood production, both for firewood and for more noble purposes. The aim of this work was to estimate the physiological variation among 40 mother trees, based on germinative and biometric characterization of seeds and seedlings. Biometric traits were determined for the size and the fresh mass of 100 seeds, percentage of germination and normal seedlings, germination velocity index, daily mean germination, length, and dry mass of seedlings. Means were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 1% probability and estimates of Pearson correlation coefficients were obtained between all traits. The results indicate the existence of significant variation between arrays of same or different origin for both the biometric features as those from the germination test. The physiological quality of the seeds showed no direct relation to its size.

Highlights

Mimosa scabrella Benth. is a native forest species to the southern region of Brazil, belonging to the Fabaceae family and popularly known as bracatinga
The observed variations in the biometric characteristics may be associated to the physiological maturity of the seeds, as well as genetic and/or microenvironmental factors of the place of development of the mother trees, since, with objective in order to evaluate the variability maximum of the specie, the sampling prioritized to encompass extreme provenances within the region of occurrence in Santa Catarina
Results similar to the present study were obtained by Santos et al (2009) in works carried out with seeds of different mother tress of Tabebuia chrysotricha and Corymbia citriodora, suggesting that seeds of different mother trees of the same species may present differences in their dimensions and which these characteristics when related to physiological quality could be used as indicative of seed quality of this specie, aiming to obtain higher percentages of germinated seeds, seedlings with greater vigor, and seedlings of better quality

Summary

Introduction

Mimosa scabrella Benth. is a native forest species to the southern region of Brazil, belonging to the Fabaceae family and popularly known as bracatinga. Average annual increment of approximately 24 m3/ha/year (Sánchez et al, 2010) and which can reach 18 m in height, with a shaft of up to 40 cm in diameter at breast height (Carvalho, 2003) This species has been prioritized in broad spectrum research in southern Brazil, due to its economic importance and relevant energy capacity, similar, or even superior, that of some species of the genera Eucalyptus (Mazuchowski & Angelo, 2012; Mazuchowski et al, 2014; Friederichs et al, 2015; Menegatti et al, 2017). One can select individuals or materials that gather superior characteristics, and provide information of potential parents to be used in improvement programs (Borém & Miranda, 2009)

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Conclusion