The objective of this study was to evaluate methods to accelerate the germination of bacuri seeds (Platonia insignis Mart.). The experiment was conducted in the laboratory of Plant Physiology and in the greenhouse of Embrapa Meio-Norte (Teresina-PI), in a randomized block design, constituted by ten treatments and four repetitions, being the experimental unit constituted by ten seeds. The following treatments were tested: control (T1); removal of the seed tegument (T2); removal of the fundamental meristem, through cuts in perpendicular plans to the plan dorsal/ventral, in the two sides of the seed, without reaching the meristem of medulla (T3); the same as T3 adding removal of the fundamental meristem through cuts in parallel plans to the dorsal/ventral plan, in dorsal region, without reaching the medulla meristem (T4); the same as T3 maintained in water for 40ºC for 20 minutes (T5); the same as T4 maintained in water for 40ºC for 20 minutes (T6); the same as T3 maintained in etanol 80% during 5 minutes (T7); the same as T4 maintained in alcohol 80% during 5 minutes (T8); the same as T3 maintained in acetone 80% during 5 minutes (T9); and the same as T4 maintained in acetone 80% during 5 minutes (T10). Were evaluated: the percentage of emergence of the primary root at 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after sowing and emergence velocity index of the primary root ive on the 35th day after sowing. The seeds submitted to T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 presented 72,5%, 65,0%, 72,5%, 52,5% and 67,5%, of emergence respectively, on the 14th day and were superior (p <0,05) to the other treatments. All the treatments were superior (p <0,05) to the control (35,0%) on the 21st day and there was not significant difference among the treatments after 28 and 35 days. Treatments T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 presented the ive values of 0,59; 0,57; 0,61; 0,54 and 0,59, respectively, superior (p <0,05) to the other treatments, which didn't differ of the control (0,36). From now on it was recommended to accelerate the emergence of the primary roots, to mak two lateral cuts to the plan dorsal/ventral of the seed, because it is a simple and more economical method that may reduce the timing and the cost of the propagation.
