CONSERVAÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE AMENDOIM (Arachis hypogaea L.) EM FUNÇÃO DO BENEFICIAMENTO, EMBALAGEM E AMBIENTE DE ARMAZENAMENTO

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate vigor of peanut seeds ( Arachis hypogaea L. ), cv. BR-1. The experiment was carried out at a seed analysis laboratory and in a greenhouse, in Areia-PB, Brazil, from August, 1998 through September, 1999. The treatments were peanut seeds stored inside and outside the fruit, in two package types (paper and metallic), in four periods (3, 6, 9 and 12 months) and two storage conditions (non-controlled environment and dry chamber, 65% UR and 20°C). Moisture and vigor characteristics were evaluated by electrical conductivity (laboratory test), and by seedlings percentage and emergence speed rate at greenhouse. The conclusions were that seeds stored inside the fruits in dry chamber showed high vigor throughout the storage period, independently of the package type used; and, peanut seeds extracted from the fruits, stored in metallic package and kept in non-controlled environment, lost their vigor significantly after six months of storage. KEY-WORDS: Conservation; package; vigor.