The Murici (Byrsonima cydoniifolia A. Juss) is small tree which presents many potentialities in food production, firewood and in folk medicine. Its reproduction is by seeds contained in the pyrenes, popularly called as stone that cause a low and uneven germination rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of stage of seed development, the temperature, the integrity of pyrenes and the gibberellic acid (GA3) on germination of this species. For this, three experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design. The first one was considered two stages of fruit ripening, two states of integrity of the endocarp and two concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3); the second involved the use of accelerated aging with presence or absence of gibberellic acid (GA3) and, the third, two stages of fruit ripening, two concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3) and presence or absence of aeration. The results allowed concluding that the seeds showed better physiological quality when coming from ripe fruits and abscised naturally. Pre-soaking of intact kernels in gibberellic acid at a concentration of 1 g.L-1 for 24 hours under alternating temperature of 25/35 ºC favored the germination. Satisfactory results occurred under alternating temperature in the germination chamber or in open air, in substrate consisting of sand with water supply in the hottest time of the day.
Byrsonima cydoniifolia; temperature; gibberellins; germination; pyrene
