The faveira (Parkia platycephala Benth.) is a perennial, heliophyte, secondary plant that occurs in (non-flooded) areas of the Amazon area. The wood of this species is used to make boxes, supports and toys, being of great importance for the woodworker because it is light and easily laminated, characteristics that have increased the interest in using it in reforestation programs. The seeds have low germination due to the impermeability of the tegument to water. This study determined the most efficient methodology for dormancy breaking in Parkia platycephala. The seeds were submitted to 12 treatments: control - intact seeds (T1), mechanical scarification with no.. 80 sandpaper (T2), immersion in concentrated muriatic acid (98%) for 30 minutes and one hour (T3 and T4, respectively), mechanical scarification with gravel for 5, 10 and 15 minutes (T5, T6 and T7, respectively) and immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid (98%) for 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes (T8, T9, T10, T11 and T2, respectively). The effects of the treatments were assessed through germination percentage and first count, seedling emergence velocity index and length and dry mass of the root and aerial leaves. A completely randomized design was used with four repetitions. The averages were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability. There was a significant difference among the treatments for all the variables. Tegument impermeability is the most evident cause of dormancy. The most efficient treatments to overcome seed dormancy were mechanical scarification of the tegument with sandpaper and sulfuric acid immersion (15 to 45 minutes).
Germination; vigor; forest seeds
