The salvia (Salvia splendens Sellow) is a plant of the Lamiaceae family, with seed multiplication. There is a great ornamental interest in it but little has been studied about this species, in Brazilian conditions. This study evaluated the effect of different temperatures and light qualities on salvia seed germination. The applied treatments were the temperatures of 15, 20 and 25 °C and the lights white, red (V), far red (VE) and light absence. The luminous intensity was produced by four 20 W lamps, fastened internally in the door of the germination chamber. The light qualities were obtained by the covering, the plastic gerbox-type boxes with cellophane, where the seeds were sown. The V light was obtained by the covering the gerbox with two red cellophane leaves and two red leaves with two blue leaves blue were used to obtain the VE light. No cellophane on the gerbox was used to obtain the white light. The light absence was obtained by covering the gerbox with aluminum foil. The tested variables were germination, first germination counting, germination speed index, length and plantule dry mass. The salvia seed behaves as indifferent to the light, although it germinates better in the far red light and in the light absence but it is also able to germinate in the white and red lights. The temperatures of 15, 20 and 25 °C affect the seed germination speed, and 15 °C delays the germination process.
seed analysis; photoblastism; ornamental plant
