The effect of maturation stages under tropical conditions, of summer cabbage cv. União fruits (seedpods), was studied on the seed physiological quality. On September, 2005 (200 days after transplanting), seedpods were harvested from racemes in the maturation (color) stages of intensive green, green, purple and beige, resulting in seeds with the predominant colors of green, brown, intensive brown and black, respectively. Part of the harvested racemes was threshed immediately after harvesting and part was stored at laboratory conditions for a week before being threshed. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design arranged in a factorial scheme 4 x 2 (seedpod maturation stages and threshing timing). Seeds were submitted to the tests of moisture content, mass of 100 seeds, germination, first counting, seedling emergence in greenhouse conditions and accelerated aging. Physiological seed quality varied among seedpod stages. The results indicated that the racemes with green seedpods may be harvested if the seeds remain for a week into seedpods before threshing.
Brassica oleraceae var. capitata; harvesting; seed quality
