Butia odorata is a native palm tree from Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, with fruits used as food. The aim of this study was to test the emergence of seeds and diaspores under different procedures to dormancy breaking in greenhouse conditions. Scarification by opening of the embryonic cavity of the seed allowed the emergence of 72% in a mean time of 56 days. The immersion of the seeds in water for 18 h before to sowing increased the emergence but delayed the mean time to 323 days. Seeds isolated from the endocarp and not scarified presented 38% of germination in a mean time of 319 days. The emergence from diaspores submitted to 40 ºC for three weeks before sowing was not significantly different to emergence from seeds isolated from endocarp, however the mean time was reduced to 206 days. The opening of the embryonic cavity resulted in higher percentage of emergency, with significant lower mean time.
Dormancy; Arecaceae; Operculum
