Ultrasound for overcoming dormancy of fabaceae seeds from brazilian dry seasonal forest

Abstract

The overcoming dormancy of Fabaceae seeds from the Brazilian Dry Seasonal Forest were realized with nonsustainable technologies (acid or physical treatments). Ultrasound waves can be a sustainable alternative and innovation to these technologies cited. Then, this research aims at the evaluation of ultrasound waves overcoming dormancy in seeds from Brazilian Dry Seasonal Forest. For this purpose, the following species were tested: Mimosa tenuiflora, Pityrocarpa moniliformis, Sesbania virgata, and Vachellia farnesiana. The seeds were previously immersed in distilled water for 24 hours before treatment, then divided into five treatments and submitted to 0, 90, 180, 270, or 360 seconds [25.0 ± 2.0ºC and 42 kHz frequency] and sown in the nursery. Variables of emergence and vigor in seeds and seedlings and descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation were analyzed to analyze the data obtained. The use of ultrasound (frequency of 42 kHz) in different periods of exposition (0, 90, 180, 270, or 360 s) did not promote uniformity of emergence and vigor in seeds and seedlings of M. tenuiflora, P. moniliformis, S. virgata, and V. farnesiana. Other protocols based on this research can be carried out to improve the forest management of species.