The effects of pre-germination treatments on the dormancy of mungbean seeds were evaluated in the seed laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Seeds of four mungbean (Vigna radiata L., Leguminosae) cultivars (Pusa 9173, ML 267, NM 51 and Chun Nam 4) were submitted to treatments with hot water (80°C), alcohol at room temperature and concentrated sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid treatments were the most effective treatments in terms of germination percentage. The immersion of seeds in alcohol at room temperature during 5 and 10 minutes and seeds immersed in hot water (80°C) during 5 and 10 minutes showed results significantly higher than the control. The hot water (80°C) treatment during 15 minutes caused pronounced seed mortality and reduced drastically the germination percentage. The sulphuric acid treatment during 6 minutes attained the germination percentage of 96%, which was the most promising method. The cultivars Pusa 9173, ML 267 and NM 51 showed more intensive dormancy levels than the cultivar Chun Nam 4.
chemical treatment; Vigna radiata
