The species Piper hispidinervum and Piper aduncum stand out as producers of essential oils, rich in compounds, such as saffrol and dillapiol, which are of interest to the fragrance and pesticide industries. These species are being domesticated and studies about their seed germination process are scarce and the aim of this study was to develop an efficient protocol for germination tests with which to evaluate seed viability in P. hispidinervum and P. aduncum. The study was carried out in July and August, 2008, when the seeds were submitted to different combinations of temperature and light: 20 ºC and 25 ºC with diffuse, white light; and 20-30 ºC with alternating dark (16 h) and light (8 h) periods, totaling 5 treatments. The treatment with 25 ºC and white light gave the best results in terms of higher percentages and germination rates, and therefore, these conditions are recommended for evaluating seed physiological quality of long pepper and monkey pepper.
Piperaceae; light; temperature; physiological quality
