Abstract
Albizia niopoides (Bentham) Burkart, known as farinha seca, is an arboreal, deciduous and pioneer plant that can be found in the semi-deciduous forest in the Paraná basin. The study on the germination and growth of the plant is fundamental for better knowledge about the establishment and regeneration of the species. Aiming to verify the germination of A. niopoides and subsequent growth, green seeds and brown seeds were germinated in a germination chamber and growth parameters were evaluated at 60, 90, and 180 days after transplanting (DAT) in a greenhouse. There was no significant difference in germination percentage between green and brown seeds. However, lower levels of mean germination times and higher levels of germination speed index were observed for brown seeds. At 180 DAT, plants showed higher shoot dry mass, root dry mass, total dry mass, number leaves and height, with no significant difference between 60 and 90 DAT for total dry mass, root dry mass and root length. The values of stem height/diameter and Dickson quality index, associated to the other growth parameters, indicate quality of the seedlings for field planting at 180 DAT.
Highlights
The life cycle of superior plants involves the development of the seed, followed by germination and the subsequent growth of the plant (Castro, Bradford, & Hilhorst, 2004)
Seeds not used for the germination and growth tests were used to obtain the degree of moisture and dry matter (DM), and were determined by the greenhouse method at 105 ± 3oC for 24 hours, with accordance to Brasil (2009), using four replicates of 20 seeds, both for green and brown seeds
Green and brown seeds were placed on Styrofoam trays, containing sand and soil as a substrate, in the proportion of 2:1
Summary
The life cycle of superior plants involves the development of the seed, followed by germination and the subsequent growth of the plant (Castro, Bradford, & Hilhorst, 2004). The ability of the embryo to germinate develops early if the seed is removed from the fruit early, even before the maximum dry matter is obtained. The initial developmental period of a plant is considered critical in the life cycle of many plant species (Kircher & Schopfer, 2012). Studies that relate seed morphology and germination have been intensified, providing useful subsidies for nursery work, seed storage, and regeneration of forests (Souza & Oliveira, 2004). Germination determines the distribution of plants, and the study of the ecology of this process and knowledge about seed biology may be of great value in understanding the stages of establishment of
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
