Optimization of Butia odorata Seeds Germination

Aims: Based on the scarcity of research related to the germination of palm (Butia odorata) seeds, the present research aimed to optimize the germination of palm seeds, using different periods of immersion in gibberellic acid (GA3) solutions and water.

Study Design: The experimental design was entirely randomized, with 30 replicates, and the experimental unit was composed of the doses of gibberellic acid and water, in a factorial scheme.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out with plants from the Active Germplasm Bank (BAG) of the Federal University of Pelotas, in the agricultural experimental field, in the south of Brazil.

Methodology: The seeds were submitted to a cleaning and hygiene pre-treatment, pyrenes (kernels) were removed from 20 harvested bunches and stored in plastic boxes, kept in a protected place at a temperature of 20 ± 1C. The following treatments were performed: without immersion (control), seeds without operculum and immersed in GA3 solution at 50 mg L-1 for 24 hours and 48 hours; seeds without operculum and immersed in GA3 solution at 100 mg L-1 for 24 hours and 48 hours; seeds without operculum and immersed in distilled water for 24 hours and 48 hours.

Results: Treatments H2O/24 h and H2O/48 h resulted in the highest percentages of emissions of cotyledon petiole and leaf primordia and the highest averages of germination velocity. Treatment H2O/24h resulted in the shortest average germination time. H2O/48 h resulted in the lowest incidence of fungal and bacterial contamination. The GA3 50/24 h and GA3 50/48h presented promising results, when compared to the control, for emissions of cotyledon petiole and leaf primordia, germination speed and lower bacterial contamination. After the removal of the operculum, the GA3 100/48 h optimized the germination and anticipated the total germination of Butia odorata seeds.

Conclusion: The immersion of B. odorata seeds, after the removal of the operculum, in 100 mg.L-1 of gibberellic acid for 48 hours anticipates the total germination, demonstrating that the use of gibberellic acid, in its highest concentration and for its longer period, optimizes the germination of B. odorata seeds. While the immersion in distilled water for 24 hours provides the lowest percentage of fungal and bacterial contamination. Both methods provides improvements to the germination of B. odorata seeds.