Physiological performance of seeds of Handroanthus chrysotrichus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos under storage conditions

Conserving forest species seeds is fundamental to optimizing seedling production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different storage environments on the germination of Handroanthus chrysotrichus seeds. For 24 months, the seeds were stored in two environments: a laboratory (25 °C) and a refrigerator (7 °C). Every four months, the seeds were placed on Gerbox plates lined with germ test paper. The plates were then stored in closed plastic bags in a growth chamber with a controlled temperature (25 °C ± 2 °C) and a 16-hour photoperiod. The design was completely randomized with ten replicates of twenty seeds. The following variables were analyzed: moisture content, germination percentage, and germination speed index (GSI). The results showed that seeds stored in the laboratory experienced a significant decrease in germination and GSI beginning in the fourth month, whereas the refrigerator environment did not affect germination over time. However, a reduction in moisture content and GSI was observed in both environments. It was concluded that seeds of this species are best stored at low temperatures; refrigeration (7 °C) efficiently preserves the germination and vigor of H. chrysotrichus seeds.