The effect of two aril extraction methods on Passiflora giberti N.E. Brown and seeds treated with five ethephon concentrations was evaluated through germination and tetrazolium test. This study was carried out at Seed Laboratory, UNIOESTE, Marechal Cândido Rondon, in the State of Paraná, from 01/06 to 03/07/01. The experimental design was entirely casualized with five repetitions of 25 seeds each. The fruits were collected in Marechal Cândido Rondon and treated with the combination of two extraction types and five ethephon concentrations. The ethephon soaking period was five hours. Seeds were germinated on paper rolls at alternated temperature of 25-30ºC. The tetrazolium test was performed at the begin and at the end of 30 day germination test. There were significant interactions between aril extraction methods and ethephon concentrations for the percentage of viable seeds. It was observed a significant decrease in the percentage of vitalily on seeds extracted with fermentation and treated with ethephon at 600mg.l-1. In the aril cloth friction extraction method all ethephon concentrations had similar effect on seed vitality. The seeds of Passiflora giberti were dormant and the aril extraction methods didn't effect seed vitalily, except when it was used 600mg.l-1 of ethephon. The treatments with ethephon did not promote seed germination.
Passiflora giberti; germination; extraction; ethephon
