Amburana cearensis (Allemão) A.C. Smith is an important economic species of the Brazilian Caatinga and in popular medicine and germination test procedures for laboratory analyses need to be standardized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different water volumes in the substrate and also temperatures on A. cearensis germination. The seeds were sown in paper towels wetted with the water equivalent of 2.0; 2.5; 3.0 and 3.5 times the substrate weight. No more water was added and the seeds were maintained in chambers at constant temperatures of 30 ºC and 35 ºC. The following parameters were analyzed: the germination percentage, first count germination, index of germination speed, length and dry mass of seedlings. A completely randomized design was used with a 4 x 2 factorial (water volumes and temperatures). The 35 ºC temperature impaired the germination and vigor of A. cearensis seeds. A temperature of 30 ºC and a water volume of 3.5 times the weight of paper is the most suitable combination for doing germination tests and evaluating the vigor of A. cearensis seeds.
cumaru; forest seeds; water availability; seed analysis
