Germinação in vitro e ex vitro de sementes de pequi [Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae)]

Abstract

Among the several species found in the Cerrado the pequi tree has an important role in brazilian agriculture with edible fruits and high quality wood. The difficulties in the propagation process by seeds, due to the low seed germination, led to the search for efficient and quick alternatives for seedlings production. The objective of this work was to study the in vitro and ex vitro pequi seed germination, having as goal to obtain the explant for later in vitro For cultivation in vitro germination, the seeds without endocarp were disinfested and transferred to WPM medium containing 30g L-1 of sucrose, 0,5g L-1 of Benlate and 7,0g L-1 of agar. The bottles were kept in growth room at 25±1ºC and 16h (36µmol m-2 s -1) photoperiod. For ex vitro germination the seeds were sowed on filter paper with GA3 (500mg L-1) solution. After this time, the seeds were transferred to paper filter with distilled water and kept in at 25ºC and 16h photoperiod. The higher germination percentage and germination velocity index (IVG) for pequi seeds were obtained in vitro cultivation.