The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological performance of Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb (syn. Handroanthus impetiginosus Mart. Ex DC.) and T. impetiginosa (Mart. ex DC.) Standl (syn. Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos) seeds stored at different moisture contents for 360 and 600 days respectively. Initial seed moisture content was determined and a control sample removed, representing the highest water content (12.7% for T. avellanedae and 5.4% for T. impetiginosa). The remaining seeds were dried and the other moisture contents were measured (7.4 and 2.9% for T. avellanedae and 2.4% for T. impetiginosa). The seed portions at each moisture content were stored at 10, 20 and -20 °C (T. avellanedae) and at 10 °C and in liquid nitrogen at -196 °C (T. impetiginosa) and submitted to physiological evaluations at the beginning of storage, after 40, 120, 200, 280 and 360 days for T. avellanedae and after 120, 240, 360, 480 and 600 days for T. impetiginosa. The statistical design was a completely randomized factorial and the analysis was made separately by species and storage period with means compared using the Tukey test at 5% probability. The preservation of stored Tabebuia avellanedae and T. impetiginosa seeds was better at a lower moisture content and a lower temperature. Seeds of T. avellanedae can be dried to moisture contents of 7.4% and 2.9% and preserved at temperatures of 10 and -20 °C for 360 days. Seeds of T. impetiginosa can be dried to 2.4% and 5.5% moisture content and preserved at 10 and -196 °C for 600 days.
seed Forest; conservation; vigor; drying
