The objective of this research was to study the effects of dehydration on the physiological performance of 'Cleopatra' tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco) seeds during storage. Thus hand extracted seeds from mature fruits were washed in running water and the excess water was drained in the shade. Thereafter, a representative sample of seeds was removed to constitute the portion with the highest water content (48%) to be studied. The remaining seeds were submitted to dehydration in a forced air circulation chamber at 28º±2ºC in order to obtain the other levels of 39, 31, 24, 14, 10 and 7% water contents. The seeds, packed in polyethylene bags, were stored in chambers maintained at temperatures of 10 and 20ºC. At the beginning of storage and then at four-weekly intervals, the seeds were submitted to the following evaluations: water content, germination, seedling emergence, speed of emergence index and seedling length. It was concluded that, considering the water content interval of 39 and 7% and the temperature of 10ºC, the physiological performance of 'Cleopatra' tangerine seeds during storage was favored by dehydration to water contents of at least, 24%.
Citrus reticulata; dehydration; seed; physiological performance
