Enviromental influence on seed permeability of Centrosema pubescens

Abstract

Seed permeability was studied in 37 plants of Centrosema pubescens Benth. The seeds were dried, at 50°C during 17 hours and kept in storage for one year at zoom, temperature. The tests were made in a tray germinator, at 28°C, with non-scarified seeds and selected by microscopy (30 x) at two times; at harvest and one year later. Two counts were made, at 7 and 14 days after beginning the test. The following conclusions were drawn: a) there was a significant (P<0,01) difference between the permeability of seeds aged one year (70.89%) and those tested soon after harvesting (26.98%); b) the germination capacity of stored seeds was significantly different at 7 days (64.00%) from that of unstored seeds (12,19%); c) the correlation coefficient between the two tests with seeds of the some moisture content, was r = 0.58 (P<0,05). Many factors may be the cause, including genetical; d) it was observed that the moisture in seeds increased 2.08% during storage (12.20-14.28%).