Influence of time of harvest, location of production, and storage on the physiological quality of seeds of star-flowers (Syngonanthus elegans (Bong.) Ruhland - Eriocaulaceae)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade fisiol?gica de sementes da sempre-viva (Syngonanthus elegans (Bong.) Ruhland) colhidas em diferentes ?pocas e locais e submetidas ao armazenamento. Cap?tulos de S. elegans foram colhidos em duas ?reas de ocorr?ncia natural no Campus II da Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri - UFVJM, em Diamantina, MG, em um Neossolo Quartzar?nico ?rtico t?pico (local 1) e Neossolo Quartzar?nico Hidrom?rfico t?pico (local 2), em cinco ?pocas (04/07/05, 19/07/05, 22/08/05, 21/09/05 e 20/10/05) e, posteriormente, submetidos a testes para avalia??o do vigor e da germina??o da semente (Experimento 1). Os cap?tulos colhidos em 04/07/05 (locais 1 e 2) foram acondicionados em sacos de polietileno transparente e armazenados no Laborat?rio de Sementes em temperatura ambiente (20??2?) ou em geladeira (5??2?), por zero, quatro, oito e 12 meses. Ap?s esses per?odos, as sementes foram novamente avaliadas quanto ao vigor e ? germina??o (Experimento 2). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, no esquema fatorial 5x2 (?poca x local de colheita) para o Experimento 1; e o esquema fatorial 4x2x2 (armazenamento x local de colheita x temperatura de armazenamento) para o Experimento 2, com quatro repeti??es. A qualidade fisiol?gica da semente de S. elegans variou em fun??o da ?poca e do local de colheita. Durante o armazenamento, o vigor e a germina??o n?o variaram com o local de colheita e a temperatura de armazenamento. O armazenamento por 12 meses em geladeira ou temperatura ambiente melhorou a qualidade fisiol?gica da semente.Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecu?ria de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq)Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES)The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of star-flower (Syngonanthus elegans (Bong.) Ruhland) seeds produced at different locations, harvested at different times and then stored under different conditions and for different periods of time. Capitula of S. elegans were colected in two areas of star-flowers plants natural occurrence on the Campus II of the Federal University of the Valleys of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, in Diamantina, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in a typical Orthic Quartzarenicenic Neossoil (location 1) and a typical Hydromorphic Quartzarenic Neossoil (location 2) at 07/04/05, 07/19/05, 08/22/05, 09/21/05, and 10/20/05) and later submitted to germination and vigor tests (Experiment 1). The capitula taken on 07/04/05 (locations 1 and 2) were placed in transparent polyethylene bags and stored either in a seed laboratory at room temperature (20??2?C) or in a refrigerator (5??2?C), for zero, four, eight, and 12 months. After these periods, the seeds were evaluated again for germination and vigor (Experiment 2). A completely random design in a 2x5 factorial was used (harvest time and production location) for Experiment 1; and a 4x2x2 factorial scheme (storage time x location x storage temperature) for Experiment 2, with four replications. The physiological quality of S. elegans seeds varied in function of time and location of production. During storage, germination and vigor did not vary with production location and storage temperature. Storage for 12 months in a refrigerator or at room temperature resulted in higher percentages of normally germinating seeds