Physiological Potential of Seeds of Dovyalis abyssinica Warb under Different Light Quality

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different light spectra (quality of light) on the germination and vigour of seeds of Dovyalis abyssinica Warb.

Study Design: The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized experimental design.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the Laboratory of Seed Technology, belonging to the State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE), Marechal Cândido Rondon – Paraná, Brazil, in the period from May to June 2017.

Methodology: The seeds were subjected to the following light regimes: white, blue, yellow and red, and the absence of light. Absence of light was obtained by the use of aluminium foil involving the gerbox type plastic boxes. The lights red, yellow and blue were obtained with cellophane, involving the gerbox boxes, and for the white light were used gerbox without coverage. The effects of treatments were evaluated using the following tests: germination, germination speed index and seedling performance. The results were tested for normality by the lilliefors test and subjected to analysis of variance (F test) and the means were compared by the Tukey test at 0.05 probability.

Results: The germination percentage was similar (p > 0.05) among the absence of light, and yellow, red and white lights. The results shows that the absence of light which the seeds and seedlings of D. abyssinica were submitted, stimulated a super stretching.

Conclusion: In general appearance, the results observed in this study show that despite the seeds of D. abyssinica present themselves as indifferent to light for germination; it was revealed that the quality of light to which the seeds and seedlings are subjected has significant influence in its development.