Evaluation of pregermination treatments on seeds of drinking molle (Lithraea molleoides(Vell) Engl.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63207/ai.v8i16.161Keywords:
germination, thermal treatments, Anacardiaceae, Lithraea molleoidesAbstract
Lithraea molleoides (Vell.) Engl., is a dominant tree species of the Anacardiaceae family in the Serrano Chaco, characterized by its orophilic habitat. The propagation of this species is limited by the low germination of its seeds, which makes it necessary to develop effective pre-germination treatments. This study evaluated the effect of different heat treatments on the germination of L. molleoides for 30 days, through periodic observations. Five treatments were applied: prolonged immersion at 100°C (T1) and 85°C (T2) for 48 h; brief immersion at 100°C (T3) and 85°C (T4) for 5 min; and one control without heat treatment (T5). The results showed significant differences in germinative power between treatments (p < 0.0001). The highest germination percentages were obtained with the treatments at 85°C (T2: 44%; T4: 43%), significantly surpassing the treatments at 100°C (T1: 9%; T3: 12%) and the control (T5: 7%). These results demonstrate that temperatures of 85°C, regardless of the exposure time (5 min or 48 h), optimize the germination of L. molleoides, probably by enhancing seed coat permeability without damaging the embryo.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Kevin Joao Palacios Ballesteros, José Omar Plevich, Juan Carlos Tarico, Marco Jesús Utello
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