SUPERAÇÃO DA DORMÊNCIA EM SEMENTES DE Panicum maximum x Panicum infestum CV. MASSAI

Abstract

Dormant seeds are those that, although viable, will not germinate if left untreated. In tropical forages, the manifestation of dormancy has been associated with physiological causes present in recently harvested seeds, gradually suppressed during storage, or with physical causes. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate methods for overcoming dormancy in seeds of Panicum maximum x Panicum infestum cv. Massai. The experiment was carried out at the Multi-User Laboratory of Natural Sciences of the Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Posse, containing eight treatments: 1) control; 2) immersion in boiling water for 1 min.; 3) immersion in boiling water for 2 minutes; 4) immersion in boiling water for 3 minutes; 5) immersion in gibberellic acid (1.5 g/L) for four hours; 6) immersion in gibberellic acid (3 g/L) for four hours; 7) immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid for 2.5 minutes; 8) immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid for 5 min. Assessments were carried out daily in order to determine the percentage of germination, the Twinning Speed Index (GVI), the number of normal seedlings in the first count, the length of the aerial and root parts and thus evaluate the effectiveness of each treatment. Treatment with sulfuric acid for 5 minutes, despite not being statistically different from the control treatment, numerically increased the germination percentage and IVG.