QUALIDADE DE SEMENTES DE MELANCIA SOB DIFERENTES PERÍODOS DE COLHEITA DE FRUTOS

Abstract

The watermelon is a tropical-climate crop produced on a large scale in Brazil, with the state of Goiás standing out as a major producer. Obtaining seeds with high physiological potential is essential for establishing vigorous seedlings capable of adapting to different environmental conditions. Physiological maturity coincides with the point at which the fruit reaches maximum germination, vigor, and dry matter accumulation, which determines seed quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate different fruit harvest periods on the seed quality of the Manchester watermelon cultivar. The experiment was carried out at LabSem of the Federal Institute of Goiano – Ceres Campus, in a completely randomized design, with fruits harvested at 90, 97, 104, and 111 days after sowing (DAS). Germination, emergence, vigor, seedling height, dry mass, and emergence speed index (ESI) were analyzed. Seeds from fruits harvested earlier (90–97 DAS) showed greater vigor, height, dry mass, and ESI, reflecting better initial seedling performance. Later harvests produced larger fruits but seeds of lower physiological quality, resulting in smaller and less vigorous seedlings. Seedling height and dry mass decreased as harvest time was delayed. The ESI was higher for seeds from fruits harvested at 90 and 104 DAS, reinforcing the importance of harvest timing for initial performance. For the Manchester cultivar, harvesting fruits at 90 days after sowing yields seeds with higher vigor and improved early growth.