Pregermination treatments of Myrceugenia exsucca (Myrtaceae)

Abstract

The knowledge of specific germination requirement is important in plants production using seeds. The majority of the native species need of cultural management, among them those related with appropriate conditions to the germination of their seeds. However, available information to develop this methodology in species of Myrtaceae is still conspicuously lacking, as is the case of Myrceugenia exsucca (pitra). Currently, pitra is the most abundant species in the forested wetlands of the Araucanía Region, thus reports of results that contribute to its propagation are important in the conservation of these ecosystems. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of different pregermination treatments (imbibition, cold stratification and gibberellic acid) on viable seeds of M. exsucca through tests of viability and germination under laboratory conditions. The seeds were treated with five treatments: soak in distilled water for 24 h; soak in 250 mg L^–1 gibberellic acid for 12 h; soak in 250 mg L^–1 gibberellic acid during 24 h; cold stratification at 5 °C during 15 days. Percentage of germination and index of germination velocity were determined. We found 90 % of viability in our experiments. The results showed that the best results were obtained soaking the seeds in distilled water during 24 h with an average germination percentage of 71 %. This information might be required for the management and conservation of M. exsucca.