EFEITOS DO TEMPO DE VERNALIZAÇÃO NO CRESCIMENTO E QUALIDADE FISIOLÓGICA DE BULBILHOS-SEMENTE NA CULTIVA ITO DE Allium Sativum

Abstract

The garlic (Allium sativum) production in Brazil has great economic relevance and its consumption can be in natura or processed. The garlic seeds vernalization allows the dormancy brake in bulbs-seeds, reducing the cycle, however the cost of using cold rooms and the quality seeds production is high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the conditioning effects of Ito cultivar bulb-seeds at low temperatures, evaluating the bulb-seeds physiological quality in relation to the vernalization time and developing a color scale for tetrazolium test. There was used the Ito (Allium sativum L.) (Liliaceae) cultivar. The bulb-seeds underwent vernalization process, cold stored at temperature of 2±4°C and relative humidity of 50±60% and submitted to different vernalization periods (40, 45, 50, 55, 60, and 65 days). The characteristics evaluated for seedlings growth were: Plant emergency (E%); Average emergency time (AET), Visual index of dormancy (VID), Amount of normal, abnormal and rotten plants, leaf area (LA), length of part area lenght (PA), root length (RL), sheets number; dry weight and fresh in bulbs, root and part area. For seeds biochemical evaluation, the tetrazolium test was carried out. Vernalization periods interfered in seed quality. There was found high %E, higher AET, VID, LA, PA and RL, in the periods of 55,60 and 65 days. Higher dry mass contents was found in 40 and 45 days, and the tetrazolium test at 60 days had more viable seeds vigorous. Although 55 and 60 days have larger %E, the removal of the garlic seed bulbs cv. Ito after 50 days of vernalization does not affect the initial performance of seedling growth and seeds physiological quality