Polystyrene Trays Research Articles

Fresh-cut papaya with lemon myrtle as a value added product

The effects of lemon myrtle on physicochemical quality and shelf life of fresh-cut papaya were investigated. Papaya fruits were sanitised, processed, and packed in polystyrene trays sealed with high barrier film and then stored at 4°C. Texture, headspace, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total plate count, yeast and mould counts were evaluated during 14 days storage period. Three levels of lemon myrtle were applied to fresh-cut papaya prior to packaging, cold storage and quality evaluation. The fresh-cut papaya changed to show a significantly softer texture, more red/yellow colour, less titratable acidity but was microbiologically safe at 4°C cold storage for up to seven days. Lemon myrtle at the three tested levels did not significantly alter the rate of change of the physicochemical characters but did delay microbial growth by four days. The major volatile flavour compounds in fresh-cut papaya were detected and identified by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The concentration of linalool, an important volatile aroma compound in papaya, decreased in untreated fresh-cut papaya. Lemon myrtle treatment resulted in an increase in concentration of linalool. Therefore lemon myrtle can be used to enhance the natural flavour and will extend the shelf life of fresh-cut papaya.

Effects of Treated versus Untreated Polystyrene on Caspofungin In Vitro Activity against Candida Species.

Significant interlaboratory variability is observed in testing the caspofungin susceptibility of Candida species by both the CLSI and EUCAST broth microdilution methodologies. We evaluated the influence of treated versus untreated polystyrene microtiter trays on caspofungin MICs using 209 isolates of four Candida species, including 16 C. albicans and 11 C. glabrata isolates with defined FKS mutations. Caspofungin MICs were also determined using the commercially available YeastOne and Etest assays and 102 isolates. All C. glabrata isolates had caspofungin MICs of ≥0.5 μg/ml, the clinical breakpoint for caspofungin resistance in this species, measured using trays made of treated polystyrene, regardless of the FKS status. In contrast, susceptible isolates could readily be distinguished from resistant/non-wild-type isolates when caspofungin MICs were measured using untreated polystyrene trays and both the YeastOne and Etest assays. Similar results were also observed for C. krusei isolates, as all isolates had caspofungin MICs above the threshold for resistance measured using treated polystyrene trays. In contrast, C. albicans isolates could be correctly identified as susceptible or resistant when caspofungin MICs were measured with treated or untreated trays and with the YeastOne and Etest assays. MICs falsely elevated above the resistance breakpoint were also not observed for C. tropicalis isolates. These results demonstrated that the use of treated polystyrene may be one factor that leads to falsely elevated caspofungin in vitro susceptibility results and that this may also be a greater issue for some Candida species than for others.

Conservation of minimally processed apples using edible coatings made of turnip extract and xanthan gum

Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of turnip extract and xanthan gum in the conservation of minimally processed apples. The apples were washed, sanitized with sodium hypochlorite (200 ppm) for 15 minutes, peeled, and cut into eight pieces prior to being subjected to one of the following treatments in aqueous solution: A – water (control); B – turnip extract; C – turnip extract and CaCl2; D – xanthan gum, CaCl2 and glycerol; E – turnip extract, xanthan gum, CaCl2, and glycerol. Subsequently, the freshly cut apples were dried under ventilation on nylon screens to ensure drying of the coatings, and then packed in polystyrene trays, covered with polyvinylchloride films and stored at 4 ± 1 ° C for 13 days. The following parameters were evaluated: mass loss, firmness, colouration, pH value, soluble solids, and peroxidase/polyphenoloxidase activities. The edible coatings were found to be ineffective with respect to controlling mass loss, but the minimally processed apples coated with turnip extract maintained their initial levels of colouration, firmness and pH value. A considerable increase in peroxidase activity was registered for apples treated with turnip extract, suggesting that this effect may also be responsible for the reduction in browning. No advantage could be observed for the simultaneous presence of turnip extract and xanthan gum or calcium chloride. The turnip extract may represent an interesting alternative for applications to minimally processed apples, especially as it is a natural product, easily obtained, cost effective and contributes to the nutritional quality (e.g. as a source of calcium ions).

EMERGÊNCIA DE PLÂNTULAS DE LULO (SOLANUM QUITOENSE LAM.) EM FUNÇÃO DO TEMPO DE ARMAZENAMENTO

The Lulo ( Solanum quitoense Lam.), belongs to the Solanaceae family originates from Andean regions, generally the fruits produces about 1.000 seeds and the sexual propagation the main form of propagation of the species. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of storage time in the emergency Lulo seeds from three harvest seasons. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three treatments (three months, six months and twelve months) and seven replications. The seeds were sown in polystyrene trays of 128 cells in commercial substrate Bioflora®. It was observed that the physiological quality of seeds lobe decreased significantly when stored in paper sacks at room temperature for a period exceeding six months. However, there was no significant difference between treatments on the variable average time of emergency. The variables presented the highest averages for seeds stored for three months, especially for emergency approximately 70%

Enraizamento de estacas de flor de jade (Strongylodon macrobotrys A. Gray) tratadas com ácido indolbutírico

The jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys A. Gray), is native plant from Philippines. It has long blue-green pseudoracemes inflorescence, which makes it unique and incomparable. It is considered one of the most admired and sought vines, although rare in gardens. This study evaluated the effect of indolbutiric acid (IBA) on the stalks rooting of this ornamental specie. Stem cuttings without leaves and with a couple of leaves cut in half, were collected from branches of a well developed jade vine plant and were immerged into dipping solutions with a concentration range of IBA (0, 500, 1.000, 2.000 and 4.000 mg L-1) for 15 seconds. Subsequently, the bases of the cuttings was planted in polystyrene trays containing vermiculite (one cutting per cell) and maintained in an intermittent water mist chamber for a 80 days period. Then the percentage of stem rooting was assessed as well as the number of roots and the length of the main root. Jade vine plants can be produced byr stem cutting treated in a dipping solution containing an IBA concentration of 2.000 mg L-1.

Influência do número de folíolos e nós no enraizamento de estacas semilenhosas de cipó-de-são-joão

The flame vine (Pyrostegia venusta (Ker-Gawl.) Miers) is a semihardwood vine, vigorous, native, native, occurring in all Brazilian biomes and ornamental potential. Technical information about the propagation of this species will contribute to the production of seedlings and with that, their greatest use in landscaping. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the number of leaves and nodes in rooting intermediate flame vine. The experiment was conducted under conditions of intermittent mist. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial 2 x 3, being respectively cuttings with one or two nodes, and zero, one or two leaflets. We used four replicates with plots consisting of 12 cuttings placed in substrate of rice hulls in polystyrene trays with 72 cells. We evaluated at 84 days the porcentage of rooted cuttings, length of shoots, dry weight of shoots and, per cutting, average: number of roots - first order; maximum length of each root of the first order, volume and dry weight of roots. It was observed that cuttings with two leaflets enabled 66% of rooting, greater length and dry mass of shoots. The higher quality of the root system occurs with stakes with two leaflets and two nodes. The spread of flame vine is efficient with semi-hardwood cuttings with two nodes and two leaflets, kept in a greenhouse under intermittent mist.

English

This study aimed to verify the influence of silicon application in hydroponics lettuce cv Lucy Brown, on post-harvest under refrigeration. In hydroponic production silicon was used in the doses of 0, 28, 56, and 84 mg L-1 of potassium silicate. Lettuces were harvested early in the morning and immediately transported to UNESP, campus of Jaboticabal. Upon being received at the laboratory the plants were standardized in size and appearance, removing the three older leaves. The plants were placed in polystyrene trays (Styrofoam©) and packaged under the temperature at 8±2 °C and 80 ± 3% relative humidity. The experimental design was completely randomized with three replications, and two plants per repetition. The fresh matter of shoots was analyzed together with the silicon content in the leaves, the firmness, the fresh matter loss, titratable acidity, pH and enzyme activity of polyphenoloxidize and peroxides. The evaluations were performed every four days, for a total of 16 days of storage. The concentration of 84 mg L-1 silicon increased the fresh matter of the plant at harvest and post-harvest, provided less water loss and consequently greater firmness in the leaves during the storage period for lettuce at 8±2 ° C for 16 days. Key words: Lactuca sativa, hydroponic, potassium silicate, postharvest, enzyme activity, quality.

Growth Dynamics and Water Potential Components of Three Summer Squash (<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L.) Cultivars

Summer squash fruit is a horticultural crop that possesses a very short postharvest life due to its high rates of metabolism and transpirationalong with a low cuticle resistance exhibited mainly when the fruit is harvested at horticultural maturity. This research was realized following thefruit growth of the summer squash cultivars: ‘Enterprise’, ‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’, whose seeds were germinated in polystyrene trays and theirseedlings were subsequently transferred to pots for optimum growth under greenhouse conditions. Fruits were sampled at 3, 5, 7 and 9 days afteranthesis (DAA). Physical (weight, diameter, and length of fruit), chemical (pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids), hydric status (water,osmotic and pressure potentials), and histological analysis were done. The highest number of fruits having marketing quality were shown in both‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’ cultivars at 7 DAA, whereas, in ‘Enterprise’ was shown at 9 DAA. Marketing quality fruits from the three cultivarsshowed similarities on pH (about 6.6), titratable acidity (TA) decreases in ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Hurakan F1’, whereas total soluble solids (TSS)decreases in ‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’ (pJ 0.5). From 3 to 9 DAA, in all cultivars, the water potential was close to -1.0 MPa, the osmoticpotential showed an increasing pattern ranging between -1.59 and -1.15 MPa, and the pressure potential remained in the positive range. Tissuewater stability was histologically related to a well-defined parenchyma tissue showing thin-walled, polygonal, intact and turgid cells during fruitgrowth.

Growth Dynamics and Water Potential Components of Three Summer Squash (<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L.) Cultivars

Summer squash fruit is a horticultural crop that possesses a very short postharvest life due to its high rates of metabolism and transpirationalong with a low cuticle resistance exhibited mainly when the fruit is harvested at horticultural maturity. This research was realized following thefruit growth of the summer squash cultivars: ‘Enterprise’, ‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’, whose seeds were germinated in polystyrene trays and theirseedlings were subsequently transferred to pots for optimum growth under greenhouse conditions. Fruits were sampled at 3, 5, 7 and 9 days afteranthesis (DAA). Physical (weight, diameter, and length of fruit), chemical (pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids), hydric status (water,osmotic and pressure potentials), and histological analysis were done. The highest number of fruits having marketing quality were shown in both‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’ cultivars at 7 DAA, whereas, in ‘Enterprise’ was shown at 9 DAA. Marketing quality fruits from the three cultivarsshowed similarities on pH (about 6.6), titratable acidity (TA) decreases in ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Hurakan F1’, whereas total soluble solids (TSS)decreases in ‘Pascola’ and ‘Hurakan F1’ (pJ 0.5). From 3 to 9 DAA, in all cultivars, the water potential was close to -1.0 MPa, the osmoticpotential showed an increasing pattern ranging between -1.59 and -1.15 MPa, and the pressure potential remained in the positive range. Tissuewater stability was histologically related to a well-defined parenchyma tissue showing thin-walled, polygonal, intact and turgid cells during fruitgrowth.

Post-harvest conservation of camu–camu fruits (Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) Mc Vaugh) using different temperatures and packages

The camu-camu tree (Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) Mc Vaugh) is fruit-bearing tree belonging to the family Myrtaceae. This work was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the type of storage temperature and package which allow better conservation of the quality attributes of camu-camu. The experimental design utilized was the completely randomized with three replications in a factorial arrangement (3x3x8), constituted of three different storage temperatures (laboratory ambiente or 25 ± 2 °C, 15 °C and 20 °C), three types of packages (no package, PET and PVC) and fourteen days’ storage, the fruits being analyzed every two days. The fruits were evaluated as to fresh mass loss, pH, soluble solids contents, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, anthocyanins, chlorophylls A and B and maturation index (SS/AT). According to the results obtained, the quality attributes and ascorbic acid content were conserved for longer time in the fruits stored on PVC-film covered expanded polystyrene trays at 15 °C. It follows that the best temperature for the storage of camu-camu is 15 °C and the package that best keeps its quality attributes is the PVC-film covered expanded polystyrene tray.

Effect of Lemongrass Essential Oil Vapors on Microbial Dynamics and Listeria monocytogenes Survival on Rocket and Melon Stored under Different Packaging Conditions and Temperatures.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of lemongrass essential oil vapors on the dynamics of surface microbiota and L. monocytogenes growth on rocket and melon under different packaging conditions and storage temperature. For that purpose, rocket and melon were placed on Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) trays, sprayed with L. monocytogenes to a population of 4.5–5.0 log CFU·g−1, packaged using microperforated Oriented Polypropylene (OPP) film in either air or Microperforated Active Modified Atmosphere (MAMA) (initial atmosphere 5% O2, 10% CO2) including a Whatman paper containing the essential oil, without contact with the product, and stored at 0, 5, 10, and 15 °C. Application of lemongrass exhibited a bactericidal effect on enterococci and a fungistatic effect on yeast-mould populations but only during air storage of rocket. The former took place at all temperatures and the latter only at 10 and 15 °C. No effect on shelf life of both products was recorded. However, an important effect on the sensorial properties was observed; during the first 4–5 days of storage both products were organoleptically unacceptable. Regarding MAMA packaging, it affected only Pseudomonas spp. population resulting in a reduction of 1–2 log CFU·g−1 in both products.

CAROTENOID RETENTION IN MINIMALLY PROCESSED BIOFORTIFIED GREEN CORN STORED UNDER RETAIL MARKETING CONDITIONS

Storing processed food products can cause alterations in their chemical compositions. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate carotenoid retention in the kernels of minimally processed normal and vitamin A precursor (proVA)-biofortified green corn ears that were packaged in polystyrene trays covered with commercial film or in multilayered polynylon packaging material and were stored. Throughout the storage period, the carotenoids were extracted from the corn kernels using organic solvents and were quantified using HPLC. A completely factorial design including three factors (cultivar, packaging and storage period) was applied for analysis. The green kernels of maize cultivars BRS1030 and BRS4104 exhibited similar carotenoid profiles, with zeaxanthin being the main carotenoid. Higher concentrations of the carotenoids lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-carotene, the total carotenoids and the total vitamin A precursor carotenoids were detected in the green kernels of the biofortified BRS4104 maize. The packaging method did not affect carotenoid retention in the kernels of minimally processed green corn ears during the storage period.

Resistance of sweet potato clones to meloidogyne incognita races 1 and 3

The objective of this study was to evaluate sweet potato clones for resistance to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita races 1 and 3. For each nematode physiological race, a greenhouse experiment was set up in a randomized block experimental design with three replications and six plants per plot. Fifty-eight sweet potato clones from the UFVJM germplasm bank were evaluated, plus five commercial cultivars (Brazlândia Rosada, Brazlândia Branca, Palmas, Princesa and Coquinho), plus the cv. Santa Clara tomato (susceptible to Meloidogyne spp.). Stems were planted in 72-cell expanded polystyrene trays, filled with commercial substrate and inoculated with the pathogen thirty days after planting. Forty-five days after inoculation, the eggs were extracted, counted, and later evaluated. Resistance level classification was performed based on reproduction factor (RF) and reproduction index (RI). Among the 63 analyzed clones, a percentage of 78% were classified as resistant to M. incognita race 1.79% to race 3 and 67% showed multiple resistance to both M. incognita races.

Foamy polystyrene trays for fresh-meat packaging: Life-cycle inventory data collection and environmental impact assessment

Food packaging systems are designed to perform series of functions mainly aimed at containing and protecting foods during their shelf-lives. However, to perform those functions a package causes environmental impacts that affect food supply chains and that come from its life-cycle phases. Therefore, package design should be done based upon not only the issues of cost, food shelf-life and safety, as well as practicality, but also of environmental sustainability. For this purpose, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be applied in the packaging field with the aim of highlighting environmental hotspots and improvement potentials, thus enabling more eco-friendly products. In this context, an LCA of foamy polystyrene (PS) trays used for fresh meat packaging was performed here. The study highlighted that the highest environmental impacts come from PS-granule production and electricity consumption. In this regard, the authors underscored that there are no margins for improvement in the production of the granules and in the transport of the material inputs involved as well as of the trays to users. On the contrary, changing the energy source into a renewable one (by installing, for instance, a wind power plant) would enable a 14% damage reduction. In this way, the authors documented that alternative ways can be found for global environmental improvement of the system analysed and so for enhanced environmental sustainability of food packaging systems.

Adubação fosfatada associada à cama de frango e sua influência na produtividade e no teor de flavonoides da Marcela (Achyrocline satureioides(Lam.) DC.) em duas épocas de colheita

RESUMO:Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a produção de massa e o teor de flavonoides de plantas de marcela cultivadas com fósforo e cama de frango e colhidas em duas épocas. Estudou-se a combinação de doses de P2O5 (0, 100, 200 e 300 kg ha-1) na forma de superfosfato triplo, com e sem cama de frango (10 t ha-1), arranjados como fatorial 4x2, no delineamento blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Foram feitas duas colheitas das plantas, consideradas como parcelas subdivididas no tempo. A propagação foi indireta, com semeio em bandejas e transplante ao campo. As plantas foram colhidas aos 195 e 223 dias após o transplantio - DAT. A altura máxima das plantas foi de 1,14 m com uso da cama de frango e de 0,97 m sem cama, aos 195 dias após o transplantio. A produção máxima de massa fresca de parte aérea das plantas foi de 30,31 t ha-1 na colheita aos 223 DAT, enquanto a de massa seca foi de 11,38 t ha-1, ambas com o uso de 300 kg ha-1 de P2O5.A massa fresca de inflorescências foi maior (4,08 t ha-1) com adição de cama de frango ao solo e menor (3,49 t ha-1) sem cama de frango; em resposta às doses de fósforo, cresceram linearmente, sendo a máxima de 4,65 t ha-1 com uso de 300 kg ha-1 de P2O5, independente da época de colheita. A massa seca de inflorescências foi máxima de 2,38 t ha-1 com o uso de 300 kg ha-1 P2O5 na colheita aos 223 DAT. A maior produção de massa seca e o maior teor de flavonoides das inflorescências foram obtidos com o cultivo das plantas de marcela em solo com cama de frango (10 t ha-1) e com P2O5 (300 kg ha-1) na colheita aos 223 dias após o transplantio.

Physiological quality and genetic parameters of maize landraces seeds in southwestern Bahia

The environmental adaptation of maize germpasm is mainly controlled by certain genes, such as ZmCCT. This factor is influenced by both the genotype and the environment itself, being the gene able to express itself in the germination and seedling vigor under the conditions that is offered. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for traits related to physiological quality in maize landraces seeds. Hundred seeds of six strains were used: Catingueiro, Colombianoroxo, Colombianopreto, Cabeca de negro, Colombiano Vermelho and Estrada de ferro, arranged in polystyrene trays, each tray with 25 seeds, maintained at a temperature of 19 to 23°C, moistened with 15 ml of deionized water daily. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four repetitions. We evaluated the percentage of seeds germinated in the presence of coleoptile (%); assessment of the total weight of adventitial and primary roots (g); assessment of the total weight of the coleoptile (g); assessment of the length of the longest coleoptile (mm) and the length of the largest adventitial root (mm); length ratio of shoots with roots using direct division between heritability and genetic gain variables. Data were submitted to ANOVA. Percentage data were transformed by the formula arcsin [(x +0.5) / 100] 1/2 before being submitted to ANOVA. For comparison of means, we adopted the Tukey test at 5% probability of error. The results indicated genetic variability for the different characteristics of the studied physiological quality, especially for Catingueiro variety with high heritability and possible genetic gain with the potential to be used in breeding programs. Key words: Variety, genetic gain, heritability, vigor, Zea mays L.

저장조건이 포장 한우 등심의 관능적 특성 및 지방산 조성에 미치는 영향

This study was carried out to determine the effect of storage condition, such as temperature and relative humidity(RH), on the change of sensory properties and free fatty acid composition of pre-packed Hanwoo loin (Musculus longissimus) until 21 st day of storage. The Hanwoo loin was sliced in 1.0±0.2cm thickness and each of the sliced pieces was packed in a foamed polystyrene tray with linear low-density polyethylene (LLD-PE) film to simulate the pre-packed Hanwoo loin sold in retail market, then stored in home-style refrigerator (Con; 5℃, 17%RH), and temperature and RH controled chambers (T1; 5℃, 55%RH, T2; 5℃, 85%RH, and T3; -1℃, 99%RH), respectively. The sensory characteristics of pre-packed Hanwoo loin during storage in different conditions were measured on raw or after cooking. After 21 days of storage, the loin stored in T3 showed significantly high color and acceptability scores (7.46±1.07, 7.06±1.36, respectively) on raw loin, and flavor and acceptability scores (7.16±0.90, 6.90±0.92, respectively) on cooked loin than those of others (p st day of storage. The concentration of palmitic acid of Hanwoo loin stored in T2 was increased significantly after 4 th day of storage (p th day of storage (p th day of storage in all tested storage conditions (p 0.05). From those results, it was considered that storage condition affects on the sensory acceptability and fatty acid composition of pre-packed Hanwoo loin as storage period was increased.

English

The cultivation of lettuce is notable in the field of olericulture due to its worldwide economic and food importance. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of mimosa lettuce cv. Lavínia produced in a polystyrene tray system with different cell number and field spacings. Seedlings were produced in trays of 128, 200 and 288 cells and cultivated in a protected environment. Twenty-five days post-sowing, the seedlings were transplanted to beds with spacings of 30 × 40; 35 × 40; 40 × 40; and 45 × 40 cm. The experiment followed a split-plot randomized block design with four replicates. Harvesting was performed at 45 days after transplanting. Phytometric characteristics of the plants were evaluated after the crop cycle: number of leaves, plant height, stem length and diameter and fresh and dry weight of the shoot. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, and means were compared by Tukey’s test at p<0.05. The agronomic performance of mimosa lettuce cv. Lavínia is favored when plants are produced in trays with 200 cells and is not influenced by field spacings.   Key words: Lactuca sativa, mimosa, cultivar Lavínia, seedling production, phytometric characteristics.

Use of phase change materials to develop electrospun coatings of interest in food packaging applications

In the present study, a heat management PS foam tray containing an ultrathin fiber-structured PS/PCM coating was prepared by using high throughput electrohydrodynamic processing. To this end, polystyrene (PS) was used as the encapsulating matrix of a commercial phase change material (PCM) called RT5 (a blend of paraffins with a transition temperature at 5°C), by using the electrospinning technique. With the aim of imparting heat management capacity to the trays, the PS tray was coated by the PS/PCM ultrathin fiber mats and a soft heat treatment was applied to improve the adhesion between the layers. Results showed that RT5 could be properly encapsulated inside the PS matrix, with a good encapsulation efficiency (ca. 78%) and the developed PS fibers had a heat storage capacity equivalent to ∼34wt.% of the neat PCM. The effect of storage time and temperature was evaluated on the heat storage capacity of the developed PS-trays with the ultrathin fiber-structured PS/PCM layer. The heat storage capacity was affected not only by the storage time, but also by the temperature. This work adds a new insight on the development of heat management polymeric materials of interest in food packaging applications, in order to preserve the quality of refrigerated packaged food products. Although the electrohydrodynamic processing seems to be a promising alternative to develop heat management materials, further works will be focused on the improvement of heat storage capacity and efficiency of the developed packaging materials along storage time.

English

The species Jurema-imbira ( Mimosa ophthalmocentra ) is typical of the Caatinga of Northeast Brazil and has medicinal properties; besides being also used by timber industry. The study aimed at assessing effects of irrigation water salinity on emergence and early development of seedlings of jurema-imbira ( Mimosa ophthalmocentra Mart. ex Benth.). For this, seeds were manually extracted from the pods of matrix plants and sown under greenhouse conditions in polystyrene trays and irrigated with brackish solutions calibrated to electrical conductivity of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 dS m -1 ; and a treatment with tap water with salinity level of 0.5 dS m -1 was used as control. The experiment was conducted in October 2013. Parameters assessed were: seedling emergence, emergence speed, seedling height, root length, stem diameter, dry mass of shoots, dry mass of roots and total dry mass of seedling. A completely randomized design was used with six treatments, and four replications each consisting of of 25 seeds per treatment. Adjustment of nonlinear and polynomial regression curves, which was used to estimate behavior of variables assessed was performed with aid of software Sigmaplot®. Salinity negatively affects all variables directly proportional to its increase in the irrigation water, with the greatest seedling development at a dose of 1.5 dS m -1 .