INFLUENCE OF SEED STORAGE CONDITIONS ON QUALITY OF Torresea acreana SEEDLINGS

ABSTRACT The plant vigor defined in the laboratory may not indicate the final quality of seedlings produced under nursery conditions, or even their survival in plantations. So, we evaluated the influence of the storage conditions of Torresea acreana seeds on its emergence, as well as, on the morphological quality of produced seedlings. Seeds were collected in October/2011, packed, transported, conditioned in closed glas pots and stored in three environments for a period of 462 days. The treatments consisted of seedlings produced from seeds: 1 - without storage (control), 2 - stored in a dry chamber, 3 - stored in a humid chamber, and 4 - stored in an uncontrolled environment (laboratory). Sowing was performed in 50 cm³ plastic tubes filled with decomposed pine bark and coconut fiber (50/50 v/v) which were packed in a glasshouse. The study analyzed the percentage of emergence, mean seedlings emergence time, stem diameter, total height, ratio between total height and stem diameter, shoot length, mean root length, total dry biomass, root dry biomass, shoot dry biomass, and Dickson quality index. Seed storage proved to be a negative factor for the emergence and vigor of T. acreana seedlings. The vigor of the seeds is a preponderant factor to increase the morphological quality of the seedlings.