Tolerance and pre-germinative treatments in jucá seeds (Libidibia ferrea (Mart. ex Tul.) L.P. Queiroz var. ferrea) submitted to salinity

Germination and vigor of seeds of Libidibia ferrea (Mart. ex Tul.) L.P. Queiroz var. ferrea) may be compromised due to salinity of water or soil, conditions very common in semiarid regions. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the physiological potential of seeds of L. ferrea subjected to saline stress, as well as verifying the effects of hydropriming and osmopriming as mitigating this stress. For this, two experiments were carried out, the first being in a completely randomized experimental design, in a factorial scheme 2 x 6, two seed lots, submitted to six salinity levels (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 dS m-1). The second experiment was also carried out in a completely randomized experimental design in factorial scheme 4 (priming) x 4 (salinity). In both experiments, four replicates of 25 seeds were used, and the variables analyzed were: first count, germination, seedling length (aerial part and root) and dry mass (aerial part and root). The response to salinity varied between lots the L. ferrea, and germination was negatively affected by increased salinity in only one of the lots, while vigor was impaired from 12 dS m-1 in both lots. Seed hydropriming and osmopriming provided greater tolerance to saline stress up to 16 dS m-1, compared to non-priming ones.