Effect of hot water on the germination of seeds from Leucaena leucocephala cv. Peru

Abstract

In a simple classification design the effect of the pregerminative treatment with water at 80ºC for two minutes, on the germination of seeds from Leucaena leucocephala cv. Peru stored under cold-storage room and ambient conditions, for seven years, was studied. The presence of moderate dormancy was proven, with a germination percentage of 67,3% in the newly harvested seed, which was lower than the germination potential shown through their high viability (98,2%). Under controlled and ambient conditions germination showed highly significant differences for the storage months (P<0,001) and the highest values without applying pregerminative treatment were achieved at 12, 42 and 48 months (77,6; 71,8 and 75,7%) and at 18 months (81,8%), respectively. The application of water at 80ºC for two minutes produced significant increases (P<0,001) in germination with regards to the untreated seed and under controlled conditions it was higher at 12, 24 and 48 months (98,6; 99,6 and 98,5%) and under ambient conditions at 6, 12 and 18 months (96,2; 97,7 and 97,7%). It is concluded that the newly harvested seeds from L. leucocephala cv. Peru show around 30% dormancy and can increase their germination by applying water to them at 80ºC for two minutes.