SUBSTRATES AND TEMPERATURES FOR THE GERMINATION OF SEEDS OF Senegalia tenuifolia (L.) BRITTON & ROSE

ABSTRACT: The Rules for Seed Analysis and the Instructions for Seed Analysis of Forest Species have no recommendations for conducting the S. tenuifolia germination test. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate different temperatures and substrates to perform the germination test of S. tenuifolia seeds. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 4 × 3 design and consisted of four substrates (paper roll; on paper; on sand and on vermiculite) and three temperatures (25, 30 and 35 °C), with four replicates of 25 seeds. The percentage of normal seedlings, the germination speed index, the shoot length, root length and dry mass of seedlings were evaluated. The Tukey test was used at 5% probability. There was a significant interaction between the temperatures and substrates tested for all variables, indicating that there is at least one ideal combination of the two factors that can increase the germination of seeds. The germination and vigor of S. tenuifolia seeds are influenced by the temperature and by the substrate used in the germination test. The combination of the paper roll substrates with a temperature of 25 and 30 °C was suitable for the germination of S. tenuifolia seeds.