Efeito do matricondicionamento sobre o desempenho de sementes de chia e amaranto

Abstract

Seeds of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) and amaranth (Amaranthus sp. L.) are known for their high nutritional value and energy source. These pseudo-cereals gained notoriety since the 1990s, with growing demand for healthy products. In Brazil, the cultivation of these two species is still recent and the knowledge of their cultivation requirements is still scarce. Thus, the research had as objective to evaluate the effect of the hidropriming matric on the performance of seeds of chia and amaranth. The experiments were carried out at the Univerdidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Câmpus Dois Vizinhos-PR, between March 2016 and July 2017, with creole seeds of chia and amaranth, produced by family farmers of Rio Grande do Sul. A water retention test of the vermiculite was initially performed according to the RAS. Then, the impregnation curve was established, by matriconditioning, to verify the best moisture content to soak the seeds. Seed soaking was performed by systematic weighing of four replicates of 100 seeds at 02, 04, 08, 16 and 32 hours after the start of the process in gerbox plastic boxes containing 55.5 g of sterilized vermiculite and moistened with distilled water in the respective holding capacities. On a stainless steel screen covered with germitest paper the seeds were seeded and after capping, the boxes were sealed with crepe tape and conditioned in germinating chamber regulated at 10º C. After this stage, using a capacity of 100% water retention by the vermiculite, again the seeds were put to soak. Then, physiological tests were performed: germination, first count, seedling dry mass, emergency speed index, emergency speed, electric conductivity and accumulated emergency, in order to measure the effect of the imbibition process on seed performance. The seeds of chia and amaranth reach Phase II of the germination with 8 hours of imbibition by means of the matriconditioning. The matriconditioning did not positively influence the physiological performance of chia seeds and amaranth seeds.