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Water regulation between fruits and seeds of brazilwood during their ripening

ABSTRACT

Brazilwood, Paubrasilia echinata E.Gagnon, H.C.Lima & G.P.Lewis, is one of the most important plant species in Brazil. Several factors may interfere in the maintenance of both seed viability and seed storage conservation, mainly its initial physiological quality. Among other factors, the quality of the seed depends on the maturation stage, being important to identify the physiological maturity to determine the best time for harvesting. The present work describes changes during the maturation process of fruits and seeds of brazilwood in three different plantations in São Paulo State. Individual flowers were tagged in the day of their anthesis and the pods were collected directly from the branches until 65 days after anthesis (DAA). Results obtained suggested that physiological maturity of brazilwood seeds occurred ca. 60-65 DAA, immediately before shedding, when seeds had 30-40% water content, as well as an efficient control of the water flux between seeds and fruits during their maturation.

Keywords:
Caesalpinia echinata; harvesting; Paubrasilia echinata; physiological maturity; seed germination

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