Condicionamento osmótico em sementes de sorgo

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to determined whether the germination and vigor of sorghum seeds cultivar EA-116, are improved by the osmoconditioning (priming) treatment. Seeds were separated in control and treated lots. The treated lot was submitted to artificial aging at 42oC, during 96 hours. Both lots were soaking in distilled water (zero MPa) and in polyethylene glycol solutions (PEG 6000) at -0.6MPa and -1.2MPa and incubated at 25 o C, during 6, 10 and 14 hours followed by drying during 24 hours. The experimental design used was in random blocks in factorial scheme 2x3x3+2 with four replications. The parameters evaluated were germination, tetrazolium test and speed of emergence. The results showed that osmotic concentrations of PEG solutions had significative effect during germination in control seeds. The comparison between control and osmoconditioned seeds did not show statistically differences. The imbibition of the seeds for 10 hours in water and -1.2MPa of PEG solutions improved the speed of emergence and seedling establishment. Aged and non-aged seeds behaved in different way in water and in PEG solutions during germination and vigor test. The osmoconditioning did not affect the physiological quality of sorghum seeds.