This study was carried out in Botucatu City, São Paulo State, Brazil with the objective of determining the time of maximum germination during maturation of horsebush seeds, in relation to fruit drying. Five trees, at the end of flowering had 15 inflorescences labeled on 06/02/2002. Weekly harvests were carried out from the fifth week after the inflorescences were labeled (35 DAL - days after labeling) and ended at the beginning of fruit dispersal (98 DAL), totalizing ten harvests. Fruits of five trees were harvested and evaluated separately. For each harvest, fruits were split in two lots: one lot had the seeds extracted for germination (fresh seeds) and the other was dried on room temperature before seed extraction (dry seeds). Water content and dry matter weight of 100 seeds were evaluated on both fresh and dry seeds. Germination tests of fresh and dry seeds were performed with and without scarification. The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized block design, considering a tree as a block. The highest seed germination capacity was reached after the maximum mass accumulation. Maximum germination, was found in scarified seeds at the beginning of seed dispersal, when hard seeds predominated. Maturation, germination, and induction of seed dormancy in immature seeds were anticipated with they dryed inside the fruits separated from the mother tree.
Peltophorum dubium; Germination and Seed Maturation
