Problems Concerning Dormancy and Its Investigation in Hog Plum (Spondias Mombin Linn.): A Review

Abstract

The Hog Plum is a fruit tree native to Brazil. The species has great nutritional, medicinal as well as ecologic importance, so that it has an outstanding role in the maintenance of health and, as in association with other species, in the restoration of degraded areas. Despite this, large impasses are still found for its commercial establishment due to the strong dormancy present in this specie. This analysis aimed to infer, from the experimental researches available in the scientific literature, the most likely candidates as the causer of dormancy existing in Yellow Mombin endocarps. In addition, some recommendations for the publication of papers on the subject are also outlined. In the dormancy classification system, there are 3 hierarchical layers: classes (5 in total), within each class there is a certain amount levels (varying according each class), and within each level, there may or may not be types. To obtain the papers, several data platforms (both in English and Portuguese) were used using keywords to direct and obtain more specific and applicable results. The results show that mechanical dormancy may not be the only cause of dormancy in the species. More recent investigations on the subject have pointed out that physical dormancy, as well as combinational, is not present. As far as the published works reach, non-profound physiological dormancy is possible and consistent with the available literature, however, there is evidence that morphological dormancy is also present. Furthermore, it was possible to realize that a Deep Simple level of morphophysiological dormancy is coherent to the revised literature. Based on the information collected and discussed, it is possible to infer simple deep morphophysiological dormancy as a cause of the low germination rates found.