Caroá is a native Bromeliaceae of the Brazilian savanna. It generates work and income for many Northeastern families when used as source of fiber for producing craft products. The species can be propagated from seeds and it serves as food for a variety of animals. As a result of its economic importance to the region, the caroá plant has been indiscriminately harvested in the savanna and has practically disappeared in some areas of Bahia State, Brazil. The objective of this research was to study the effect of hydric restriction on the seed germination of caroá, as a proposed means of establishing a cultivation system and more rational production methods. Germination was tested at temperatures of 25, 30, 34 and 37° C, with the optimum temperature for germination used in a subsequent test, combining different test solutions of polyethylene glycol. The highest rates of seed germination (> 66%) occurred when the ambient temperature was higher, and 30° C yielded the highest average speed of germination (0.12 day-1) and germination speed index. On the other hand, germination rates decreased as osmotic potential of the environment decreased. Under conditions of hydric restriction, seed germination of caroá showed the potential to reach up to -0.6 MPa.
Abiotic stress; germination; force
