Emergency of seeds of Passiflora caerulea simulating possible natural destinies

MENDIONDO, G. M. & AMELA GARCIA, M. T.

FRUITS

EDPSciences

Lugar: Montpellier; Año: 2006 vol. 61 p. 251 - 258

0248-1294

Abstract - Introduction. The emergency of P. caerulea L. was studied for the first time, in order to obtain useful information for cultivation of this plant with ornamental, edible and medicinal values. Material and methods. Different treatments (aril removal, mechanical and chemical scarification and combinations of them) were performed to fresh seeds before sowing. The treatments simulated different paths that may follow the seeds in nature in this ornithochorus  species, those which small growers could reproduce before cultivation. Emergency was recorded periodically for 16 months in a greenhouse. Emergency initial time, emergency percentage and emergency speed were calculated. Results. Seeds immersed in hydrochloric acid did not germinate, but the rest of the treatments were successful. Emergency percentages were low in most of the treatments and speed was slow in all of them. The minimum emergency initial time was 25 days. Cumulate emergency showed an oscillating sigmoid pattern. Discussion. It is suspected that dormancy exists, which be dealt in another paper.