Resumo

VASCONCELOS, Ana Carolina F. et al. Germination and formation of crambe seedlings irrigated with saline waters. Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.3, pp.306-311. ISSN 0871-018X.

The world’s growing demand for fuels and environmental concerns about the depletion of non-renewable energy reserves has aroused the interest in new options, economically and environmentally viable, as alternatives to meet this demand, as the use of biofuels. Among more than 300 oil seed plant species, only 40 have the potential for biofuel production, such as crambe (Crambe abyssinica). However, the effects of irrigation with saline waters in the germination of crambe seeds and development of crambe seedlings are still unknown under semiarid conditions. Considering these facts, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of salinity in seed germination and seedling development. In a germination chamber (BOD), crambe seeds were placed on a germitest paper previously moistened with NaCl solutions at the electrical conductivity (EC) levels of 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7, 5 and 9.0 dS m^-1. Four and 15 days after the set up of the assays, seed germination, number of normal seedlings, velocity of emergence of seeds, and length of seedlings and roots were evaluated. The seeds presented tolerance to the salinity levels used in this study, without presenting any decrease in the variables analyzed with the increase of ECT. The development of crambe seedlings was evaluated by placing seeds in tubes and irrigated with saline solutions (NaCl, CaCl₂ + NaCl) at the following EC levels: 0, 2.5, 4.0, 5.5 and 7.0 dS m^-1. Measurements of plant height, number of leaves and weight of fresh matter in five dates throughout the experiment were made. EC levels showed no significant effect on the analyzed parameters and there was no statistical difference between the salt types.

Palavras-chave : germination; formation of seedlings; oil seed; salinity tolerance.

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