Biometry of fruits and seeds and pre-germination treatments in Cassia grandis L. f. (Fabaceae)

Abstract

The species Cassia grandis L. f. (Fabaceae), has environmental and economic importance to justify studies to its best use. The objective of this study is to evaluate the morphology of fruits and seeds of Cassia grandis L. f. and the effect of pre-germination treatments. The fruits biometry was determined in a sample of 100 units, taken at random from the batch collected at the Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, to determination of length, width, fresh weight and number of seeds per fruit. From the seeds took in a sample of 100 units were determined length, width, diameter and fresh weight of the seedlings. To overcome dormancy using 100 seeds per treatment divided into four replicates, employed the following techniques: seeds without scarification; scarified on the opposite side of the hilum and two side-cut 25% and 50% opposite the hilum, all of which are made with and without soaking in distilled water for 24 hours. It was evaluated the first count, emergency, emergency speed index, length and mass of dry matter of shoot and root. The biometric data were analyzed by frequency classes and the pre-germination treatments by analysis of variance and Tukey’s test. The fruits have an average of 34.77 cm in length, width 39.96 mm, 174.32 g of fresh weight and 23.63 seeds, which have an average of 15.83 mm, 11.34 mm, 6, 0.867 g and 39 mm in length, width and fresh weight, respectively. Scarification increased germination and negatively affects the dry matter accumulation in shoots. The soaking did not affect germination, but increases the initial growth of the seedling shoot. The cut in the seed of 50% in the area opposite the hilum affect the emergence and seedling growth of Cassia grandis.