Water Saturation Stress in Mimosa scabrella Seedlings

ABSTRACT The stress caused by water saturation has negative consequences for plants. The search for species tolerant to flooded soils can make feasible the use of areas with these characteristics. The objective of this study was to observe the effect of water saturation levels on the initial growth of Mimosa scabrella Benth seedlings. Newly germinated seedlings were subjected to three water depths (without saturation, 1/3, and 2/3 above the pot capacity) in a greenhouse environment. After 173 days, it was verified that for most of the variables there was no difference between the control treatment and the two saturation levels. In addition, the analysis of seedling quality demonstrated the ability of the species to develop and survive in this condition. Therefore, it is inferred that bracatinga is a promising species for cultivation under water saturation conditions.