Abstract
The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of different drying methods on physiological quality of crambe seeds. Crambe seeds of FMS Brilhante cultivar were produced in the Lageado experimental farm (UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil) in 2012. The drying methods were: artificial drying with hot air, artificial drying with fresh air, natural yard drying, natural shade drying and natural field drying. The water content of seeds was monitored before, during and after drying. Germination, first germination count, abnormal seedlings, GSI, germination synchronization, frequency and germination mean time, electrical conductivity, fatty acid index and oil content were evaluated in order to know the physiological quality. The experimental design was randomized and the averages compared by the t-test at 5% significance. Results showed that artificial hot air drying favored with higher germination and vigor of crambe seeds when compared to other drying methods and demanded shorter time to reduce the water content. The natural shade drying method is feasible for crambe seeds despite taking longer.
Highlights
Member of the Brassicaceae family, crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hostch) is a annual cycle plant species and it is tolerant to drought and cold conditions
The following drying methods were used: Fixed artificial drying with hot air: it was carried out in a research dryer developed at FCA UNESP made of PVC columns 0.8 m high and 0.15 m in diameter and with a metal screen at its bottom
The shortest time required to reduce the water content of crambe seeds (7.4 hours) was observed when employing artificial drying with hot air
Summary
Member of the Brassicaceae family, crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hostch) is a annual cycle plant species and it is tolerant to drought and cold conditions. The great interest in this specie is due to the high seed oil and protein concentrations plus its agronomic advantages such as reduced demand for crop treatment, satisfactory yield (around 1500 kg/ha) and short cycle (90 days), makes it a potential raw material for biodiesel production (MASETTO et al, 2009; MASETTO et al, 2011; PITOL, 2008; SOUZA et al, 2009). Seeds with high water content may have their quality affected by mechanical damages suffered during improvement processes, performance and separation efficiency of the machines used can influence the physiological quality (CARVALHO; NAKAGAWA, 2012). This makes drying a critical process in this production stage
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