PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ENZYME ACTIVITY CHANGES IN STORED SEEDS OF Melanoxylon brauna Schott.

Temperature and relative humidity set the basic conditions for the preservation of recalcitrant and orthodox seeds. The seed conservation of braúna under relative humidities of 55, 75 and 93% at 20°C was performed with the aim of evaluating germination and vigor responses, relating them to the membrane permeability, enzyme activity, content and lipid peroxidation. Increasing environment water content decreases seed quality and also decreases the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, and increases activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. The membrane permeability increases with increasing deterioration of the seeds. There is no relationship between the changes in lipids content and peroxidation and seed deterioration.