As asparagus seeds present slow germination and emergence, the use of techniques to speed up germination as priming is very important. Initially, to define the best conditions for seed priming, it is necessary to know the seed imbibition standard and the influence of the main factors involved in this process. The objective of this study was to determine the standard of imbibition of asparagus seeds. Four seed lots of asparagus cv. Mary Washington were used. The imbibition curves for each seed lot were determined in distilled water, PEG 6000 at -1.0MPa and -1.2MPa and in sea water at -3.3MPa, in BOD at 25(0)C. Seed moisture contents were determined after the imbibition periods of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 336, 504 and 672 hours in PEG 6000 solutions at -1.0MPa and -1.2MPa and in sea water at -3.3MPa. For priming in distilled water, the seed moisture content was determined after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 hours. The seed moisture content was determined in an oven at 130(0)C/1 hour. It was verified that in distilled water there was fast seed hydration, with the primary root protrusion after 120 hours (fifth day) of imbibition. In the priming in PEG 6000 at -1.0MPa after 504 hours (21th day) of imbibition, there was slow increment in the seed water contents, initiating the primary root protrusion. Efficient hydration control was obtained in the seeds imbibed in PEG 6000 at -1.2MPa and in sea water at -3,3MPa, where there was no primary root protrusion until 672 hours (28th day) of imbibition.
Asparagus officinalis; water content; PEG 6000
