MÉTODOS DE SECAGEM DE SEMENTES DE MARACUJÁ E CRESCIMENTO INICIAL DE PLÂNTULAS

Abstract

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of passion fruit. It is a fruit rich in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamins A and C, highly appreciated for the quality of its juice, pleasant aroma, and flavor. Drying is a crucial unit operation with the goal of reducing the moisture content of agricultural products after harvest. It is also a requirement for handling and storing grains and seeds, preserving their quality over extended periods and maintaining plant stocks from one season to another. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate different drying methods for yellow passion fruit seeds. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with four treatments: Shade, 35°C greenhouse, Ash, and Sun. After extracting the passion fruit seeds and fermenting them, the seeds underwent drying treatments for 5 days. Following this period, the seeds were sown in a sand bed and remained there for 28 days. Subsequently, the seedlings were removed from the bed for further evaluations. The treatment involving drying passion fruit seeds with wood ash achieved the highest average results for all studied variables: Emergence, IVE (Index of Velocity of Emergence), leaf number, seedling height, root length, and seedling dry mass.