Physiological quality of Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd. seeds under different storage methods

The species Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd. belongs to the Fabaceae, popularly known as ingá, is widely distributed in Brazil, has wood of good quality, fruit with sweetened pulp, and can be used in the reforestation of riparian forests and recovery of degraded areas. Considering the importance of this species, the objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of Iinga laurina seeds stored under different conditions. The experiment was carried out at Laboratório de Análise de Sementes, with the treatments distributed in a factorial scheme 3 x 6 (seeds inside the pods, seeds outside the pods with sarcotesta and seeds outside the pods without sarcotesta) and storage periods (0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days). Water content, percentage, first counting of germination, germination speed index, root and shoot length, dry matter of roots and shoot were evaluated. The storage of I. laurina seeds inside the pods provides the maintenance of the viability for a longer period of time, whereas seeds stored outside the pods with and without sarcotesta have their germinative potential and vigor reduced in the first days of storage.