CONSERVATION OF SEEDS OF Myrcianthes pungens (Berg) Legr. IN DIFFERENT PACKAGING IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT1

ABSTRACT Studying the physiological and biochemical behavior of Myrcianthes pungens seeds stored in different packages for up to ten months was the objective of this work. Seeds were collected in Toledo, Pato Bragado, and Marechal Cândido Rondon and stored in a cold and dry chamber (11 ºC and 6,3% RH) for ten months. The germination test and the germination speed index (GSI), the seedling length (SL), the seedling dry matter mass (DMS), and the tetrazolium (ZT) test were performed and, for each evaluation, the water content was determined. Non-parametric analysis was used. During storage, the water content of the seeds in the plastic and glass containers varied little, but decreased in the paper packaging. The germination was maintained for ten months when the seeds were stored in plastic containers and for two months in the glass and paper ones. The variables GSI, SL, and DMS presented upwards and downwards variations during the storage period. The ZT revealed that, in the plastic packaging, the seeds remained viable for up to ten months, in glass, up to two months, and in paper, up to four months. Therefore, seeds of Myrcianthes pungens with high initial quality can be stored in a cold and dry chamber in plastic bags, maintaining viability and vigor for a period of ten months