Germination of Emilia coccinea (Sims) G. DON as a function of light, temperature, storage and sowing depth

Abstract

Emilia coccinea (Sims) G. Don (Asteraceae) is a weed species quite frequently in the Brazilian farming, is also considered horticultural plant for having medicinal properties. The study of their germination can contribute to their management in areas where it is unwanted, also can help their production in medicinal gardens. The objective this work was to study, in three trials, the germination of E. coccinea as a function of temperature, light, storage and sowing depth. In the first test, the fruits-seed had been submitted at different temperatures (10, 20, 30, 40 and 20-30°C) and light qualities (white, red, far red and dark), in the second, the newly harvested and stored fruits-seed (3, 6, 9 and 12 months) had been submitted at same light qualities listed above and incubated in camera at 30°C. For the third test the fruits-seed had been seeded in sand+soil under different depths (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 cm). The experimental design in all trials was completely randomized with four replications of 50 seeds, where evaluated the percentage and speed of germination and seedling emergence. The germination of E. coccinea is maximized under the temperature of 30 or 20-30°C, under white light. With nine months of storage the fruits-seeds lost completely the far red and dark light sensibility. The seedling emergence is greater when the seeds are at the substrate surface.