Dynamics of the rangpur lime seed germination test conducted under different temperatures

Abstract

Adoption of a standard procedure to perform the germination test allows comparison of results between laboratories. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the germination process of rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) seeds conducted under different temperatures. The germination test was carried out in five seed lots under three temperatures (25, 30 and 35 °C). The dynamics of the germination process was studied through the following variables: germination (%), time to first germination (days), time to last germination (days), time interval between first and last germination (days), time required to reach 50% of germination (days), mean speed of germination (day-1), synchrony of the germination process (dimensionless), and uncertainty of the germination process (bits). The experimental design was completely randomized, and analysis of variance was performed in a 5 (lots) x 3 (temperatures) factorial arrangement, with four replicates of each treatment. Means were compared using Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). The germination process in rangpur lime seeds is slow, homogenous, and asynchronous; and the temperature of 30 °C is the most favorable for conducting the germination test, with the first count at 21 days and the last at 30 days.