The propagation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) occurs mainly via seeds. Both germination and emergence of the seedlings are usually slow at ambient temperature and even slower at low temperatures. Therefore it is necessary to study treatments that accelerate these two characteristics. On a preliminary test we submitted sweet pepper seeds to hydration in distiled water for 24 and 72 hours and to osmotic conditioning with polyethylene glicol (PEG 6000) -0.5 MPa for 21 days at low temperature and the germination of the seeds was increased and accelerated. The objetive of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage temperature and seed dydration for 24 and 72 hours and seed osmotic conditioning with PEG 6000 -0.5 MPa for 21 days during 4 months of storage. After treatment the seeds were dried, wrapped in impermeable package and stored under the temperatures of 5 and 25ºC. Monthly the germination and emergence potential of the seeds were determined under the temperatures of 20 and 25ºC. It was observed that the seeds hydrated for 72 hours did not support storage, and its use should be immediately after treatment. Seeds hydrated for 24 hours and those primed with PEG when stored at 5ºC maintained high germination and emergence percentages throughout the 4 months of storage especially when tested at 20ºC.
Capsicum annuum L.; seeds; hydration; priming
