IMPORTANCE OF SEED QUALITY FOR THE FORESTRY SECTOR

Abstract

Plant production is essential for the maintenance of human activity on Earth, and as seeds are the main tool for plant propagation, obtaining high-quality seeds is essential for successful planting. Forest species are applied in diff erent areas, such as timber, the pharmaceutical industry, landscaping projects, and degraded area recovery. The search for seedlings of forest species has increased due to the intense exploitation of ecosystems and the need to recover degraded areas. Therefore, it is necessary to use high-quality seeds that are composed of a complex set of attributes, including genetic, physical, physiological, and sanitary factors that directly infl uence the performance of seeds in the fi eld and their longevity in storage. Forest seeds have peculiarities, such as variable size and shape, nonuniform water content and germination speed, as well as diff erent drying and storage capacities. In addition, they have high genetic variability, which implies diffi culties in their management, such as the presence of dormancy, which can aff ect seed quality and seedling production. Seed germination and vigor are critical factors for the quality of forest seeds, but many species have not yet identifi ed their germination requirements. The lack of information about the peculiarities of each forest species and the high genetic variability among them makes it diffi cult to standardize methods for analyzing the physiological quality of seeds, in addition to becoming an obstacle to their use in reforestation projects, since the lack of diversity in the use of native species is a concern, as it reduces variety and endangers biodiversity