The morphology and seed viability of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) were evaluated using the tetrazolium (2, 3, 5 triphenyl tetrazolium chloride). From all clones tested, Florida Sweet presented the smallest percentage of seeds with normal embryos (10%) or without them (8%) and the greatest percentage of seeds with malformed embryos, (81%). The clone 07-0S had the greatest percentage of seeds with normal embryos (5 l%) and an elevated number of seeds without embryos (34%). For all other clones evaluated, the seeds with normal embryos were 100% viable. The seeds subjected to the tetrazolium test for 12 hours, had a deep red color, considered ideal for viability positive evaluation. These tests cannot be taken as prognosis to calculate the germination and dormancy rates, only indicating that the seeds are alive.
Malpighia emarginata DC.; tetrazoilium test; seeds alive; embryos
