SEEDLING EMERGENCY AND BIOMETRY OF FRUITS AND SEEDS OF Cariniana pyriformis FROM THE MIDDLE MAGDALENA VALLEY, COLOMBIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aiming at contributing to the knowledge of the biology and propagation of Cariniana pyriformis Miers, a native species with high timber and ecological attributes, ripe fruits were harvested. Initially, in 400 seeds and 320 fruits, the size, fresh mass, seed water content, number of seeds per fruit, number of seeds per kilogram and fruit color were assessed. Then, a homogenous seed sample was immersed for 24 hours in five doses (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg.L-1) of gibberellins (GA3) and cultivated in a greenhouse. For this, a completely randomized design was adopted with six replications of 25 seeds each. Fruits and seeds showed values, on average ± standard deviation, of 76.1 ± 11 mm and 48.1 ± 8.2 mm in length, and 49.6 ± 5 mm and 7.2 ± 0.7 mm of width, respectively, with 62.3 ± 22.3 g of fresh mass per fruit and 13 ± 3.1 seeds per fruit. One kilogram corresponded on average to 6715 seeds with 11% water content. In the greenhouse, emergence speed index and emergency percentage of seedlings increased as the GA3 dose increased, allowing a more concentrated emergency process in a shorter period. Highest variation was found for fresh mass per fruit (CV= 35%) and number of seeds per fruit (CV= 24%). Immersion in 1000 mg.L-1 in GA3 for 24 hours triggers seedling emergency in C. pyriformis (approx. 71%), and then it is recommended for plant propagation, since the treatment accelerated and synchronized seedling emergency.