Different forms of fruit harvesting and Removal of physical barrier on germination of Balfourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl

Abstract

Balfourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl. is a rare species in the state of Paraná and is recommended
for the recovery of degraded areas. However, there is great difficulty in the germination
of the seeds, due to the impossibility of the removal of the fruit. The objective was to identify
the ideal fruit picking time, and methods of removing the physical bean from the fruits, so that
these could influence the germination percentage. In the first stage, the design was completely
randomized in a factorial scheme, being the factor A - fruit collection (mother plant, ground) and
factor B related to the removal of the physical bunch of fruits (presence and absence of cutting
at the end of the fruit). In the second stage of the experiment, the treatments corresponded to:
control; Cut at one end; Mechanical scarifier for 5 seconds; Sulfuric acid for 20 minutes. It is
recommended to collect the fruits of Balfourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl. directly in the
mother plant and mechanical scarification for 5 seconds to obtain 53% of germination.