Abstract
The present work aimed to develop studies on the tolerance to dehydration of Blepharocalyx salicifolius and Casearia decandra seeds. In order to verify the effect of drying on the seeds, they were placed in desiccators containing a saline solution saturated with potassium acetate (23.5% RH) at temperature of 15 °C. After obtaining the desired moisture contents, the seeds were submitted to the germination, vigor, tetrazolium and electrical conductivity tests. It can be concluded that under slow drying conditions, the seeds of B. salicifolius and C. decandra were sensitive to moisture reduction of 29% to 25%, and lost viability at around 14% and 8% of moisture content, respectively. The physiological changes occurring during seed drying showed there was a decrease in viability and vigor and an increase in electrical conductivity values starting at 25% seed moisture content.
Highlights
Desiccation tolerance is a mechanism that allows organisms to go through a rigorous process of drying and maintain their physiological activities when rehydrated (Alpert, 2000).The physiological condition of the seed in relation to desiccation tolerance and storage was initially studied by Roberts (1973), which classified seeds into orthodox and recalcitrant
The fruits of B. salicifolius were collected from 12 parents in 2009 in a fragment of Araucaria Forest located in Araucaria - PR, and those of C. decandra were collected from 12 parents in 2009 in a fragment of Araucaria Forest in the urban region of Curitiba - PR
In the seeds of B. salicifolius and C. decandra, similar results were obtained: an increase in electrical conductivity values starting at 25% moisture content
Summary
Desiccation tolerance is a mechanism that allows organisms to go through a rigorous process of drying and maintain their physiological activities when rehydrated (Alpert, 2000).The physiological condition of the seed in relation to desiccation tolerance and storage was initially studied by Roberts (1973), which classified seeds into orthodox (tolerant) and recalcitrant (non-tolerant). Ellis et al (1990) introduced the class of intermediates, whose behavior during drying and storage at times presents features similar to orthodox seeds, and at times similar to recalcitrant seeds. Seeds called recalcitrant are those that possess a high degree of moisture when breaking off from the parent plant at the end of maturation and that die when their degree of moisture is reduced to values below that of their critical moisture level (15 to 50%). In addition to this fact, recalcitrant seeds do not support storage under freezing temperatures (Roberts, 1973)
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