The study was conducted to study the time of water imbibition required to overcome acacia seed dormancy. A randomized experimental design with four replicates of 50 seeds/treatment was used. In addition to the control, which consisted of intact seeds with no previous treatment, the following treatments were considered: seed immersion in boiling water at 100°C, for 30, 45, 60 and 75 seconds; subsequently, half the seeds were maintained immersed for 12 hours in ambient (27°C) water, totalizing nine treatments. After that, the seeds were incubated at 25°C, constant temperature, inside a plastic gearbox with moistened germitest filter paper as substrate and maintained in germination chambers during assessment. Through regular assessment, the parameters germination, imbibition and number of normal seedlings after 18 days were determined. The daily counting of germinated seeds took place for 18 days. The results show that maximum seedling emergence was obtained in 100 ºC water, without posterior immersion in ambient water; this temperature and the period of 1 minute are remarkable, as they present the highest germination and represent operational standardization as a method to be utilized in Acacia mangium seed procedures to overcome the tegument hardness of this species.
Acacia mangium; forest specie, dormancy; hot water; imbibition
