Overcoming dormancy of Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC seeds

Abstract

The sword bean (Canavalia gladiata) is a legume whose seeds are common to the occurrence of dormancy due to the hardness of the integument, which affects the establishment of the culture and the determination of its physiological quality. Thus, the objective of the work was to overcome the dormancy of sword bean seeds, evaluating the germination and the performance of the seedlings. The experimental design was completely randomized with twelve treatments and four replicates of 25 seeds. The treatments consisted of: mechanical scarification; immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid (10, 50, 90 and 130 minutes); immersion in water at 60°C (60 and 120 seconds); immersion in water at 100°C (30 and 60 seconds); immersion in alcohol (30 and 60 minutes); and control. The seedling germination and vigor (germination speed index, length and dry mass of the aerial part and root) were evaluated. The best treatment to overcome dormancy, was immersion in water at 100°C for 30 seconds. The aerial part and root detected in the vigor of the bean seeds.